Rukmini Velamati

After graduating from Vassar College with a degree in political science, Rukmini Velamati began researching postbaccalaureate programs to prepare herself for medical school. In the end, she found herself choosing between Mount Holyoke College and a university in New York City.

“MHC’s program appealed to me because it was small. I was concerned about getting good letters of recommendation at a bigger school because no one would know who I was,” says Velamati. “Another huge draw was that MHC’s program had a more than 90 percent acceptance rate for medical school.”

What also impressed her was the attention she received throughout the application process. When Velamati first met with Kay Althoff, former director of the postbaccalaureate program, Althoff “knew who I was, knew my story, and we talked about my particular chances of getting into medical school. Ultimately, I chose MHC because I wanted that kind of personal interaction.”

Velamati says she got just that. “The faculty was extremely accessible. I’m especially indebted to Professor Sheila Browne and Assistant Professor Megan Nunez of the chemistry department. They were great resources and so helpful while I was studying for the MCAT. It made a huge difference that they really wanted me to succeed.”

She also is grateful to the Career Development Center, which connected her to MHC’s impressive alumnae network. As a result, Velamati spent a semester shadowing Dr. Audrey Guhn, an MHC alumna who is a pediatrician in nearby Springfield. That experience, says Velamati, “was amazing. It cemented my desire to be a physician. And Dr. Guhn wrote one of my recommendations for medical school.”

While at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Velamati described MHC’s postbaccalaureate studies program as “a great fit.” Whenever she heard classmates discussing their experiences at bigger programs, she says she feels lucky to have been in such a supportive environment.

“I wasn’t hustled through the program,” says Velamati. “Faculty knew who I was and they’d still be there for me now if I needed anything. I know they’re genuinely happy that I’ve done well—and that’s a really nice feeling.”