Q&A with Pratyusha Pericharla

Aanya Rangaiahgari, 8/7/24

What is your name and school?

• Pratyusha Pericharla, medical student

• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign School of Medicine

What major did you take in undergrad?

• Biochemistry, biotechnology, and chemistry

If you took biology did it help you in med school?

• I have good basics in biology which really helped me through some topics in medicine.

What major do you recommend taking to be the most prepared for becoming a physician? Why?

•  I would say Biochemistry because each and every reaction in our body to get us energy that can drive our whole body based on biochemical reactions takes place in the cell. If you know this you will know a lot.

When taking the required pre-med classes in your undergraduate year, did you feel the workload to be overwhelming with your chosen major?

• I never took pre-med classes; I directly went to med school. 

What was the hardest part of medical school and how did you overcome it?

• Hardest part of medicine is studying for step one. It took a lot of time for me to organize material and revise the material in timely manner, once it’s done I felt so confident. This led to me passing step one. 

What medicine do you plan to specialize in?

• I want to do Psychiatry, Neurology, or Internal medicine. 

Why do you believe most doctors take biology as their chosen major?

• I don’t believe the concept that you have to biology in order to become a doctor. I knew people who are art majors and studied medicine, but Basic Biology helps understand  why, where and what happens in the body and medicine will take a deep dive from there.