Jeremiah Bonnet

Jeremiah Bonnet is a junior at New York University studying sociology with minors in Africana Studies, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Studies, and Chemistry. He is also a Presidential Honors Scholar, Dean Scholar, New-membership Chair for the Gentlemen of Quality club, Academic Achievement Program mentor, College Leader, and Vice-Chair for the Dean’s Justice Equity Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) council.

Jeremiah reports that “I have always felt an ineffable connection to healthcare. I am greatly fascinated by the human body and all its intricacies. I hope to one day have the pleasure of walking down the hospital halls synchronously to the heart monitor beeps. My desires, however, span far beyond medicine. As I progress through my studies, I am constantly reminded of the importance of one’s foundation. All that I have achieved is a by-product of the help that I have received: from bedtime stories, to elementary school summer workbooks, to shadowing positions, to scholarships, and everything in-between. My life could have played out a lot differently had it not been for the graciousness of others, and this is something I feel obliged to pay forward. I acknowledge that for many children, especially for those who look like me, solid foundations can be difficult to build. Representation has made all the difference in my academic career thus far, and I hope to provide that same model to the next generation of underrepresented physicians.”

This past summer, Jeremiah said he had the privilege of working with Dr. Carolyn Quinsey and the Department of Neurosurgery, along with Drs. Yael Shiloh-Malwasky and Angela Wabulya and the Addis Research Team in the Department of Neurology.

Jeremiah’s experience with Dr. Quinsey included daily grand rounds, global case conferences, neurology and radiology lectures, pediatric clinics, and weekly suture labs. “Through this experience, I have engaged with the world of neurosurgery; networked with medical students, nurses, residents and doctors; improved my communication skills through interviews with patients; witnessed an excellent healthcare team dynamic; and learned foundational MRI and CT scan evaluation techniques. In addition to this, I published my first opinion article on Addressing the Lack of Black Male Physicians Through Early Intervention with the help of Dr. Quinsey. Working by her side has been such an honor as she is both an amazing physician and person!”

Jeremiah also served as a research assistant for Dr. Wabulya and the Addis Research Team “Through this research project, I witnessed the process of conducting an observational study from the ground up. I have also become familiar with the nuances of survey-making and the tediousness of research. Dr. Wabulya has served as a role model to me since the day we met, and it has been such a privilege to learn under her wing. She is patient, kind, and knowledgeable about her specialty which has made the experience fulfilling. I cannot wait to see how our relationship grows as well as how we can improve training in Kenya to enable Kenyan physicians to better care for their patients with epilepsy.”

Jeremiah will be applying to medical school this upcoming cycle with aspirations of becoming a pediatric neurosurgeon.