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Williams High School student attends medical conference

Williams High School freshman Alessandra Rico, who wants to become a nurse practitioner, recently attended the Congress of Future Medical Leaders in Washington D.C. Ryan Williams/WGCN

Williams High School freshman Alessandra Rico, who wants to become a nurse practitioner, recently attended the Congress of Future Medical Leaders in Washington D.C. Ryan Williams/WGCN

WILLIAMS, Ariz. - It's rare for a high school freshman to already know what they want to do with their lives. However, not only does Williams High School freshman Alessandra Rico know that she wants to work in the medical field, but she's already taking steps to achieve her goal.

Rico was recently selected to attend the Congress of Future Medical Leaders in Washington D.C. from Nov. 14-16.

According to a press release about the program, "The Congress is an honors-only program for high school students who want to become physicians or go into medical research fields. The purpose of this event is to honor, inspire, motivate and direct the top students in the country who aspire to be physicians or medical scientists to stay true to their dream and, after the event, to provide a path, plan and resources to help them reach their goal."

Last year, Rico took a survey at school about her career aspirations. Soon after, Dr. Connie Mariano, medical director of the National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists, sent Rico a letter inviting her to attend the congress. According to the press release, Mariano nominated Rico "based on her academic achievement, leadership potential and determination to serve humanity in the field of medicine."

The opportunity to attend the congress was perfect for Rico, who hopes to become a nurse practitioner.

"I want to help people and I have a lot of family that is in need with illnesses and all of that," she said.

The idea behind the Congress of Future Medical Leaders is to help students who are interested in the medical field gain the skills and experience to achieve their goal. Richard Rossi, the executive director of the National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists, said the congress helps prime students for their future careers.

"This is a crucial time in America when we need more doctors and medical scientists who are even better prepared for a future that is changing exponentially," he said in the press release. "Focused, bright and determined students like Alessandra Rico are our future and she deserves all the mentoring and guidance we can give her."

During the conference, the students were able to use video technology to see a live surgery of doctors removing a tumor from a woman's uterus. In addition, the attendees heard speeches about medical research and technology, what to expect in medical school, and the perspectives of a doctor and patient involved in a face transplant surgery.

Rico came back from the congress with a renewed interest in medicine. She enjoyed the friendships she made with some of the 5,000 other students who attended the conference, and said her favorite part of the conference was "meeting everyone else that wanted to work for the same thing you are going for."

The experience taught Rico that although a career in the medical field requires hard work, it's an attainable objective.

"I learned to not give up on your goals and keep achieving them and to work ahead and not be shy about it," she said.


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