Aubrey Pope

Aubrey spent the summers of 2023, 2024, and 2025 working as a research assistant at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard on a clinical research trial in the Department of Thoracic surgery.

My experience in the SPRI program has been the cornerstone of my time at BYU. I began working in the lab the summer after my freshman year, and have been fortunate enough to continue with them through the rest of my undergraduate years. The time I have spent in my lab has allowed me to practice building patient rapport, chart review, coding, academic writing, research collaboration, and clinical trial development. This combination of soft and hard skills have begun to shape me into the physician I hope to become one day. Shadowing in the OR, visiting admitted patients, and attending clinic appointments provided me with a realistic view of medical practice. The moments I have spent with patients in our study have solidified my desire to pursue a career in academic medicine.

Beyond the research, this experience introduced me to amazing mentors who have guided me through research, college, and life. Some of my closest friendships have been a direct result of my internship and I will never be able to fully express my gratitude for that. After graduation, I plan to return to my lab as the clinical research coordinator while I apply to medical school.