Pre-Med With Purpose

Mikaela Herberg ’19, Mandan, N.D.
Major/Minor: Biology/Chemistry

Tell us about yourself.

I am someone who loves to eat good food, drink good coffee, and have meaningful conversations. I absolutely love to meet new people and my go-to feel good song is “Go Your Own Way” by Fleetwood Mac.

What activities and clubs are you involved in?

I play the bassoon in The Concordia Band, The Concordia Orchestra, and an all-female woodwind quintet. In addition to music, I also am also a teaching assistant in the biology department and have worked as a student ambassador in the Admission Office for the past four years. I have also been fortunate enough to serve in the role as an Orientation/FYT Leader for incoming students the past two years.

Why did you decide to attend Concordia College?

From the moment I stepped foot on Concordia’s campus, I knew there was something unique about it. What initially caught my attention was that everyone seemed to truly care about your well-being and ensuring that you felt welcomed and valued as an individual. That campus visit also opened my eyes to the strong community that Concordia fosters and I knew that I wanted to be a part of it. In addition to all of these great attributes, I was also very drawn in by the strong science curriculum and that you could still participate in music ensembles even if you weren’t pursuing a degree in music.

Why are you a biology major?

I have been interested in the idea of healing from a young age. Being the daughter of a Lutheran pastor, I have been to my fair share of weddings, funerals, and hospital visits. I always enjoyed witnessing the power that providing a sense of comfort could have on individuals during some of the best and worst days of their lives. I knew that I wanted to spend my life providing comfort and healing to those in need while incorporating my love for science, and a major in biology gave me that foundation. When I toured Concordia and learned about the incredible science program and the dedication that the faculty here have to helping students grow both as scholars and as people, I couldn’t wait to start learning.

Tell us about your pre-med experience.

My four years have been nothing short of incredible. All of the faculty that I have had the pleasure of learning from have shown how dedicated they are to making sure their students have all of the tools they need to succeed. One of my favorite educational experiences has been the opportunity to learn about the intricacies of the human body from human cadavers. It was truly the experience of a lifetime. Aside from academics, one of my favorite things about the major has been the lifelong friendships that I have developed over many late night study sessions and cups of coffee.

What are your plans for the future?

I will be attending medical school in the fall at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences. I am so excited to continue my education and I can’t wait to see what the future has in store.

Do you have any advice for students who are considering being pre-med?

I would tell anyone considering a future in medicine to never give up. I know that this sounds cliché, but it is so true. Failure is a part of life and no matter what career path you are pursuing, it’s impossible to be good at everything. When an obstacle arises, it is important to remind yourself why you are on that path in the first place. If you put your whole being into everything you do, nothing is impossible.

What’s your favorite memory from your time at Concordia?

It is impossible to pick just one, but traveling to Greece with The Concordia Orchestra last May was an experience I will never forget. The opportunity to share the universal language of music while getting to learn more about a different culture was spectacular.

^{Published April 2019}