Hello! Thank you for sharing these questions with me. I am excited to hear that music and the arts have been an important part of your life. I hope you are able to continue these musical and artistic endeavors even amidst the busyness of school.

My love of music began in childhood. My grandmother was a concert pianist in the Philippines, and my mother plays the piano, so my siblings and I all learned how to play the piano growing up. In college, I started learning how to play the guitar as a fun new instrument to try out. I ended up loving it and began to write original songs, mainly about faith, joy, and the struggles of life. I also loved creative writing and poetry; as a kid, I would write mini fictional stories in my journal, for example. During medical school, I was able to apply my love of music and writing to various research projects, with the goal of helping patients’ wellbeing. Funded by the Bray Medical Humanities Fellowship, I took a gap year before my final year of medical school to do a year- long poetry project for hospitalized pediatric patients. I investigated how a brief poetry activity could improve patients’ symptoms such as fatigue and pain, and my results showed that it did improve hospitalized pediatric patients’ wellbeing. I have also collaborated with colleagues in the oncology field, where we did a project on a painting activity for cancer patients. During pediatric residency, I completed a similar project where I provided poetry books and activities on the wards. In all these endeavors, I strive to apply the benefits of the arts for patients’ health and wellbeing.