Meet Our New Tutor, Alex!
While most students favor either the analytical side (left) of the brain or the creative side (right), Alex Cathcart seems like an anomaly who can excel in both. Her love for medicine might have drawn her to school, but studying the arts has kept her balanced.
Alex Cathcart went straight to medical school at Temple University after graduation from the University of Pittsburgh.
“I went to college knowing that I wanted to go into medicine,” Alex said. “I loved science and wanted to be able to apply medical knowledge to help empower people to safeguard their health.”
But the current med school student‘s life wouldn’t be complete without taking some time out for her other love — literature.
“My other passion has always been reading and writing, so I chose to also major in English literature,” Alex said. “I loved being challenged in different ways and finding the common ground between my two subjects.”
Even though Alex holds two degrees in biology and literature, she has faced challenges in the classroom in the past — specifically with History.
“I think [history] can be really interesting to discuss, but I didn’t love the rote memorization involved in studying it,” she said. “I had to knuckle down and make up for my lukewarm interest with brute force studying, and I even ended up liking it more than I originally had.”
With her personal experience in overcoming tired methods of studying, Alex naturally fit into the role of Teacher’s Assistant in organic chemistry during her undergraduate years. She even utilized her role to became a mentor to high school students using the same research lab.
Alex is originally from Chester Springs, PA, but currently resides in Philadelphia.
Now, back in a student role, she can’t live without her Figure 1 app, which allows her to upload images of medical cases for teaching purposes. And when she is not working through medical school assignments, Alex spends time reading an anthology of Robert Frost’s poems.
Alex always seems to be dabbling in both the scientific and creative realms. This is why she loves exploring the many nooks and crannies of Philadelphia.
“I love to wander the smaller streets in Center City, go for walks on the Schuylkill River Trail, and visit the Barnes Foundation,” she said.
Maybe it’s the biologist talking, but getting fresh air is actually one of Alex’s secrets to success. Or maybe it’s the writer in her that finds taking a break critical to working through problems. Either way, our new tutor has great advice for any student who gets stuck from time to time.
“Take breaks frequently!” she suggests. “If things aren’t clicking, try walking away; read a chapter of a book or go for a walk before trying to tackle it again.”
