When you graduate we hope that you will stay in touch with us. The connections you establish with your professors are strong and we know that you will go on to do great things. Heidi Emrani graduated from the Department of Anthropology in 2006 and is a current medical student at the University of Central Florida (UCF).

Her anthropology studies at CSU sparked her love for medical anthropology and differing conceptions of health and healing. The courses she took from professors Lynn Kwiatkowski and Jeffrey Snodgrass shaped her desire to pursue a career in medicine as a medical doctor.

After graduation, Heidi moved to New York City to attend Columbia University, where she earned a certificate in the pre-health sciences. For medical school she moved to Orlando, Florida where she is enrolled as a third year medical student at UCF College of Medicine.

Heidi has had the opportunity to enrich her education with stem cell research, volunteering at the senior center in Orlando, and various extracurricular activities. At UCF she established a Narrative Medicine organization, which aims to enrich the student experience through storytelling, sharing experiences in writing, and reading narrations from patients, peers and clinicians. As president of the organization, she chose many readings that brought her back to her anthropology roots and introduced her peers to the fascinating world of cross-cultural medicine.

Heidi is also proud to have co-chaired a student committee that helped to establish the K.N.I.G.H.T.S. student run free clinic. The clinic opened in January of this year with great success and has since been dedicated to serving the indigent population of Orlando. Heidi has also enjoyed being vice president of the Gender & Sexuality In Medicine organization, which strives to bring awareness about LGBT issues in medicine to students and faculty. When asked about her future plans, Heidi says, “I can’t imagine where my journey will take me next, but I can definitely say I am enjoying every step along the way. I am extremely appreciative for my anthropology background because it not only inspired my passion for medicine, but it continues to bring me reward through shaping my everyday approach to medicine and patient interactions.”