As if piano and med school don't keep her busy enough, Marisa is always in learning mode and believes it's important to try new things. Outside the lab, she enjoys challenging herself in the kitchen and challenging her students to think outside the box in order to find the answer.
My Degrees & Education
B.S. in Biochemistry from University of Maryland
Currently pursuing an M.D. at CWRU
My Subject Expertise
Math
Biology
Chemistry
"When I'm not studying for my med school classes, I love to play the piano and spend time eating good food with friends."
Tell us about your work.
My favorite thing about medicine is how seamlessly tissues, organs, and systems function together. I love working through complex pathways to understand how they connect, and chose to study biochemistry in college for this very reason. I've applied my interest to research in Alzheimer's disease and addiction medicine, and am currently working on a project that involves thyroid disorders.
How did you get into this field?
Until the end of my freshman year of college, I actually always thought I'd be a math teacher. Medicine came into the picture for me when I realized how much I enjoyed biochemistry. My first time shadowing a physician is all it took; I've been fully committed to the field ever since. Discovering how to leverage my career to not only use the science I love, but also to work with, teach, and help others is what keeps me passionate and dedicated.
What unique approach do you bring to your job as a tutor?
I love getting to know my students! Their unique personalities and perspectives make tutoring so much fun. I believe my patience and ability to approach problems from different points of view, offering multiple explanations until something sticks, sets me apart as a tutor.
What’s something (unrelated to your field of study) that you’d like to get better at?
After binge-watching every season of the Great British Baking Show during the pandemic, I was inspired to become a better baker. I've quickly learned this is a rather ambitious goal, but who knows, you could see me compete on TV one day!
Interested in working with Marisa and rest of The Whole Kid team? Contact us to learn how we can help your student reach their full potential!