Name: Carolyn Dunderdale
Class Year: 2022
Title: Clinical Research Coordinator
Organization Name: Massachusetts General Hospital
1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?
I manage all the daily activities, like meeting with patients and handling data, for research investigating heart disease in people living with HIV.
2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you?
The alumni networking nights showed me how many recent graduates found success in gap-year research, especially at Mass General Hospital. I individually spoke with these alumni, and what they gained from their research years was the same as what I was looking to accomplish.
3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?
Although my favorite group was SPUD, I also was part of the American Medical Student Association, Biology Student Advisory Committee, and XCHROM.
4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?
I was a Biology major, and class laboratory work showed me the importance of research in becoming a better physician-scientist. Last year in lab, I got to work with the same virus that effects the patients I see today.
5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?
How to listen thoughtfully to others, so I can better respond to their needs. If you want to understand someone, first truly listen to them.
6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?
Balance your life! The best way to stay motivated for studying is knowing you have something fun planned with your friends after.
