A legacy of care

On the one hand, Annie Emmert, Med ’22, ’27, began the pursuit of her medical degree at the University of Cincinnati's College of Medicine as a nontraditional student. As an undergraduate, she had transferred from the Lindner College of Business to the College of Nursing, where she spent two years, and finally to the College of Medicine, where she became a pre-med student in the baccalaureate program.

On the other hand, Emmert was the keeper of a different tradition. Next spring, she will become the fifth member of her immediate family to earn both undergraduate and advanced degrees at UC.

“I’m from a long line of Bearcats,” she says. “It was natural that I followed in their path. Through all their experiences, I could see how great UC was.”

Entering her fourth and final year, Emmert is one of four medical student chiefs in pediatrics and already has an impressive list of accomplishments. Her 11-page CV is packed with research credits, medical presentations and leadership positions. Earlier this year she was inducted into UC’s Gold Humanism Honor Society, which honors individuals who exemplify compassionate patient care and serve as leaders in medicine. She currently co-chairs the society’s executive leadership board and is a member of its mentoring community.

Emmert is grateful for the scholarships she has received during her journey as what she calls “a double Bearcat.”

“Tuition in general is expensive, but medical school is a whole other beast. Medical school is unique because students pay tuition year-round. During the final two years when performing clinical rotations, the cost of tuition increases significantly to account for additional expenses, such as the cost of medical student practice insurance. Having the ability to receive scholarships lifts a little bit of pressure and is very much appreciated.”

Emmert thanks donors “for going above and beyond” in supporting the next generation of doctors. 

Emmert’s foundational experience in healthcare occurred through the care of two family members who lived next door. Her aunt had Parkinson’s disease, and her maternal grandmother was the widow of Dr. Ralph C. Scott, a professor of cardiology at UC for over 50 years. “From an early age I wanted to do something in the healthcare world,” Emmert says. “I was able to learn a lot about medicine, caregiving and the importance of patient-family dynamics in healthcare from both of these women in my life.”

She worked as a student nurse during her first two college years. “This experience opened my eyes to the field of medicine and propelled me to further explore medicine as a career,” Emmert says. “During my junior year, I decided to pursue a pre-medicine track and switched my major to Medical Sciences.” She took a gap year after graduating and worked as a research assistant at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. 

“I’ve always had an interest in working with children,” Emmert says. “Being at Cincinnati Children’s led me to really want to pursue pediatrics. Kids bounce back really quickly, which is cool to see. They’re very resilient and brave. You’d think that adults would have more grit. But what I’ve noticed on clinical rotations is that kids who grow up with chronic illnesses, like living in the hospital for months on end, become very strong and resilient. They experience joy just by being alive. Seeing even small wins in the progression of their health makes such a huge difference for kids in the hospital. That really resonated with me.” 

The College of Medicine has given Emmert and her fellow students the opportunity to explore multiple areas of medicine, including sub-specialties. “During her fourth year, she is scheduled to do several rotations at Cincinnati Children’s, including hospital medicine, which involves caring for hospitalized children who require complex care, and pediatric cardiology. 

“The College of Medicine does a great job of tailoring each student’s experiences to what is unique about them and what they want to pursue,” she says.

Featured image at top: Annie Emmert is a student in UC's College of Medicine. Photo/UC Alumni Association