Although many students focus on biology when preparing for medical school, Faith Willis '25 is stepping outside of the sciences as she pursues her degree at Texas A&M University by studying the classics in the Department of Global Languages and Cultures.
Inspired by her own journey, Willis’s goal is to become a doctor and serve people in rural communities in the United States and abroad.
“I believe that a physician's expertise becomes truly tested when they do not have special equipment or technology to help with diagnoses,” she said. “It presents a special challenge that would push me to learn more and seek out innovation.”
Her career path, however, is rooted in a much deeper desire to serve other people. By spending time in developing countries and the lower-income communities around her hometown of Corpus Christi, Texas, Willis saw many people who often struggled to take care of important medical needs. As a patient herself, she knows she has a calling to help people in those communities the same way doctors have helped her.
“I want to be able to help them without burdening them monetarily,” Willis said.
I am more curious about other people and cultures, which has reignited a passion for building meaningful relationships with others. I am eager to learn more about how others think and feel and to understand the reciprocal impact we have on the lives of others.
Her coursework in the classics, combined with her pre-med minor, is helping Willis continue to broaden her understanding of the world and the people in it as she pursues this goal. She says she chose to major in the classics with a track in classical civilization because of her interest in ancient Greece and Rome.
“Even though it was about 2,000 years ago, I believe it is useful to understand how our culture was affected,” she said.
Her degree plan includes four semesters of ancient Greek. While learning a completely new alphabet, language and grammatical structure is challenging, she says it has helped her learn to be flexible with her study methods.
“I learned that I must study continuously, since many translations into English have no derivations and require brute-force memorization,” Willis said. “I believe this will be beneficial as I pursue medical school.”
As part of her coursework, she studies science, anthropology, Greek mythology and philosophy, including the writings of ancient philosophers and historians. All these topics challenge her to rethink her world perspective.
“These scholars have encouraged me to think outside of the box and travel beyond my comfort zone to appreciate the origins of their thoughts on humanity,” she said. “The courses I've taken revealed a recurring pattern in human nature and provided me with the tools to think critically and innovatively as I consider how I might contribute to society.”
Willis says the diversity of her coursework keeps her focused and reinforces the importance of keeping her studies engaging.
“It spares me from the burnout that other students may encounter when they focus only on science, and I appreciate each topic for its intrinsic value,” she said.
She is also pursuing several research projects that involve theology, quantum mechanics, etymology and technology. One of her most exciting projects involves translating nautical archeological terms from English to other Mediterranean languages that will later be coded on a website for use by other researchers.
This open-minded approach to a degree program equips her with valuable soft skills that extend far beyond professional life.
“It cultivates interpersonal relationships, logical reasoning, research methodology and critical thinking, all of which have far-reaching benefits,” she said. “I am more curious about other people and cultures, which has reignited a passion for building meaningful relationships with others. I am eager to learn more about how others think and feel and to understand the reciprocal impact we have on the lives of others.”
Willis is a member of the Pre-Med Society and Christian Women in Medicine. She is also a leader of Courageous Conversations and an ambassador for the Department of Multicultural Services.