Seven Hills Student Named Finalist for Full Medical School Scholarship

The National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists recently named Seven Hills Junior Mekhala Rao one of three semi-finalists for the $185,000 National Academy Medical School Scholarship Challenge.

Rao is one of 3,100 honors high school students who applied for the scholarship by identifying an unsolved medical or scientific world health problem and creating an original investigation of her design to solve the problem. Only Rao and two other students, from New Jersey and South Dakota, were selected for consideration.

Her medical query topic was entitled “Using the plant Echinacea to treat the bacteria CA-MRSA.” Rao presented her research proposals on stage at the November Congress of Future Medical Leaders in Washington, DC. The Academy will award one full medical school scholarship covering tuition fees to a U.S.-based medical school (up to $185,000) to one student. In addition, two $10,000 medical school scholarships will be awarded to the runner-up finalists. Scholars attending the November Congress will vote to determine the winners. Results of the competition are expected in the coming weeks. Rao’s investigations included a hypothesis or thesis for which she developed a research or other game plan to tackle and solve the medical problem she chose.

Please click here to view Rao’s presentation to the Congress of Future Medical Leaders in Washington, D.C.