PhD student in Clinical Investigation
Paloma Frautschi had many obstacles to overcome to get to graduate school. Health issues had negatively affected her undergraduate grades, and though she volunteered in a local emergency room, she had very little research experience when she earned her bachelor’s degree. So, she pushed herself to get involved in as many clinical, research, and volunteer opportunities as she could.
Her drive to pursue a PhD stemmed from these experiences. She worked at the Wisconsin Institute of Sleep and Consciousness, where she worked in a patient-facing role with a research aspect for the first time. While pursuing her master’s degree, Paloma worked on a preclinical psychedelic project that captured her interest and left her with more questions.
“I recognized that pursuing a PhD in clinical investigation would allow me to study the science thoroughly, to design and test my own hypotheses, and enhance my translational science training,” Paloma said. “The fact that this opportunity existed, and that I found a mentor who not only was interested in my research topic, but also who encouraged me to become a stronger scientist, and continues to do so, has made it easy to want to excel here.”
Staff in Paloma’s graduate program say she stands out for her commitment and drive. To Paloma, that drive is, at its core, an outgrowth of the university’s mission to improve the quality of life.
“I am committed because I believe in my research and want to embody the values of the university, the scientific community, and those I was raised with,” she said. “By committing to uphold these values, I know that I can make strides within my research, while emphasizing knowledge dissemination, scientific rigor, and integrity. At the end of the day, I want to use my time to make my community a better place both in and out of the workplace.”