Dr. Samantha H.

Before medical school, Dr. Hu attended Vanderbilt University, where she graduated with highest honors in English literature. She worked as a Vanderbilt Writing Studio consultant and truly relishes every aspect of the writing process. 

In medical school, Dr. Hu was initially drawn to ophthalmology for its focus on improving patient quality of life in a meaningful manner, prompting her to be a founding member of a free medical student-run ophthalmology screening clinic at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Her passion for social determinants of health is reflected in her research at the resident-run ophthalmology clinic, which examined fear of cataract surgery among a largely underserved, uninsured population. Her research has been published in Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science and The Journal of Clinical Ophthalmology. 

In collaborating with another medical student, a resident, and an attending who ultimately became one of her key mentors, Dr. Hu recognized the importance of mentorship in specialty-specific career development and advancement. Her experience coordinating patient education and referrals gave her insight into the barriers patients face, which has driven her interest in the social determinants of health.

Dr. Hu's passion for personalized and individual mentoring extends back to her time as a Writing Studio consultant at Vanderbilt University. She is dedicated to establishing goals specific to each student and creating the frameworks to guide them to their greatest potential. What sets Dr. Hu apart is her ability to draw out aspects of a candidate’s personality in writing, ultimately translating who they are into a personal narrative that connects with medical school admissions committees.