Interview With A Human Biology Major

A human biology major provides a broad understanding of the human species which can lead to many unique career paths. From working in medicine to healthcare to research, this degree can take you far. To dive deeper into the intricacies of this major, I interviewed Marci Brecheisen, a radiologist who spends her time interpreting medical images, such as x-rays, CT scans, and ultrasounds, and diagnosing/treating diseases. I asked Dr. Brecheisen a series of questions regarding her chosen undergraduate major and current career path, and here are her responses:

What school did you attend for your undergraduate degree?

"KU."

What was your undergraduate major?

"Human Biology"

What is your current occupation, and how did your undergraduate major prepare you for your career?

"I am a radiologist. I chose my undergraduate degree as the classes helped prepare for the MCAT and medical school."

What does a regular day in your occupation look like

"My job has a random schedule as we work weekdays in addition to some weekends, holidays and evening call shifts. A typical weekday shift would be from 7 am until 5:30 or 6pm. On a weekend or holiday we usually work from 11am until 11pm. Most of the time we are reading studies (CT scans, MRI scans, ultrasounds, or radiographs). Our workdays are quite busy. We rarely take coffee or lunch breaks due to the high volume of patients. On some shifts I also do procedures such as breast biopsies or steroid joint injections."

Did you do any additional schooling after undergraduate school for your occupation? (If so, then what school/program and how long did it take?)

"I went to medical school for 4 years and then did a radiology residency for 5 years."

What was your favorite aspect of your undergraduate major?

"The classes aligned well with medical school requirements."

What was the most challenging part of your undergraduate major?

"Lab based research was required for part of my degree. It was challenging to find a mentor with interesting projects that undergrads were allowed to work on along with the grad students. Once I found a mentor, it was a bit challenging to fit lab research time in with the rest of my class schedule."

What made you choose your undergraduate major?

"The classes aligned well with medical school pre requisites."