About Meghan

Hometown:
South Kingstown, RI

University Partner:
Northeastern University

Degree:
B.S. in Health Science

Grant Partner:
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Senior Mentor:
Stephen Sallan, M.D. Chief of Staff, Professor of Pediatrics

"The Steamboat experience has taught me to take control of my own success. Opportunities are constantly presenting themselves, and as a young person in this world, it's easy to get overwhelmed and perhaps miss those opportunities. This experience put the responsibility back into my own hands. With great encouragement from the Steamboat executives, I took this summer by storm, and with that, I can say that my life will never be the same."

Scholar Background

Sadly, the term “leukemia” became a part of Meghan’s vocabulary at a young age. When she was only five years old, her childhood friend, Katie, lost her battle against cancer. This tragic experience has motivated Meghan to pursue a career in medicine with a focus in pediatrics. In a twist of fate, Dr. Stephen Sallan, Meghan’s mentor at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute during her Steamboat summer, was the very doctor who treated Katie during her illness. Throughout her college career, Meghan was a research assistant at the Northeastern Biology Lab focusing on cellular and biochemical changes that regulate cell growth. Northeastern’s unique Co-op program allowed Meghan to participate in two six-month co-ops, one of which she completed at Dana-Farber’s Pediatric Oncology research department as a Steamboat Scholar. As the president of Bouve College of Health Sciences Honors Society at Northeastern, she attained the highest GPA in her class. A Dean’s Scholarship and Peabody Honor’s Scholarship recipient, Meghan was an active member of Globe Med, an association of future healthcare professionals who volunteer in underserved communities in Boston. Meghan also captained the Jimmy Fund Boston Marathon Walk team “Katie’s Butterflies” in memory of her childhood friend.

Internship Highlight

As a clinical research coordinator at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Meghan valued most her opportunity to engage in intimate patient contact. She was also able  to contribute to the research project entitled “Osteonecrosis in Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation,” which has been accepted at the National Bone Marrow Transplantation Conference and the BMT Journal for publication. The retrospective study determined the frequency at which Osteonecrosis, a potentially devastating disease, occurs after pediatric patients have undergone stem cell transplants.

Where are they now?

Meghan is currently attending Yale University's Masters in Nursing program, with the goal of becoming a pediatric nurse practitioner.