College Up Close: Molly Kerrigan, Romance studies
When she was applying to colleges, Carolina junior Molly Kerrigan worried she might have to choose between her childhood dream of becoming a surgeon and her passion for Spanish.
That changed during a shadowing experience at a Charlotte-area hospital.
“As I followed a medical student and residents into a patient’s room during pre-operative rounds one morning, I noticed that the patient’s whiteboard was empty,” Kerrigan remembered. “It didn’t take long for me to realize why — the man did not speak a word of English.”
The experience ignited Kerrigan’s drive to pursue both interests at UNC.
“I’ve spent my years as an undergraduate student studying science and medicine, never having to abandon either one of my academic passions,” said Kerrigan, a Spanish and biology double major with a minor in chemistry.
In her Spanish major, “Introduction to Literary and Cultural Analysis,” taught by Irene Gómez-Castellano, has been her favorite class so far.
“One of my favorite things about the Spanish language is its ability to convey raw, unnerved emotion,” said Kerrigan. “Through this class, Profesora Gómez-Castellano introduced me to the basis of literary analysis through a Spanish lens, and for that I am incredibly grateful.”
Outside of her coursework, Kerrigan volunteers as a bilingual crisis counselor for the Crisis Text Line, a free mental health service. She was also able to shadow medical professionals abroad in Ecuador, Peru and Chile for nine weeks this summer.
When she graduates in 2025, Kerrigan plans to attend medical school and “work to become a culturally aware, bilingual physician” in hopes of expanding access to quality healthcare.
Until graduation, she’s looking forward to spending more time with her sisters in Alpha Chi Omega, who have helped her grow personally and academically.
She also hopes to relive her favorite Carolina memory: Rushing Franklin Street when UNC beat Duke to make it to the National Championship in 2022.
“I remember that night like it was yesterday and am so grateful that I was able to experience rushing Franklin as an undergraduate.”
By Jess Abel ’19
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