Cox High School junior Merrick Gessler packed his trumpet into its case and walked out of the band room, into the hallway, making his way to a classroom. In a way, the walk combined the two passions of his life, medicine and music.
“I definitely like medicine more, but music, I really enjoy too,” Gessler said. “I am planning a possible minor in music.”
Gessler plays trumpet in the school’s wind ensemble and piano in the jazz band. But he is aiming for a career as a physician.
“I hope to attend medical school and after that become a pediatrician or orthopedic surgeon. I really like working with kids and I just want to do that eventually.”
Gessler is so into medicine that he has spent parts of the past two summers attending the Congress of Future Medical Leaders in Lowell, Massachusetts. Attending students to the Congress are nominated to become delegates by their teachers, counselor and principals based on their dedication to entering the medical field as physicians or scientists. They also must have a minimum grade point average of 3.5.
“I always had an interest in medicine,” said Gessler. “My dad is a doctor. He does ear, nose and throat. I always wanted to be an EMT, but I changed my mind. I still wanted to be in medicine, so I went up there to learn more about my possible future career.”
The Congress of Future Medical Leaders features a number of medical professionals who share their findings and discoveries. Delegates like Gessler, are inspired to take action necessary to become a much stronger candidate for competitive college and medical school admissions.
“My family is definitely fine with it,” he said. “My dad, of course, encourages me. My brother, a freshman, also wants to go into medicine, so he looks into the classes that I am taking now and I help him with the ones that he is taking.”
Gessler spent all of last school year on the principal’s list and he plans to stay there. And he offers this advice to someone focused on pursuing college and a career.
“I would tell someone to find someone who has a job in the field that want to go into and ask them questions about what classes to take and what they should do to get noticed by colleges. Then, be sure to focus on grades, school work and their GPA.”