Helen Zhang is currently a Master of Science candidate at the University of Oxford studying Clinical and Therapeutic Neuroscience. Her research focus is on utilising transcranial magnetic stimulation to probe the neurological underpinnings of theta-gamma tACS in the motor cortex. She received her Bachelors in Science from Brown University in 2022, studying Biology with a focus in Biotechnology and Physiology. Her Honors Thesis focused on developing monoclonal antibodies as a treatment for P. falciparum malaria.
Helen resonates with the iden=ty of a global citizen as she comes from a multicultural background. She was born in Vancouver, Canada to first-generation immigrants, moving back to her parents’ hometown of Shanghai, China at the age of six. She studied in Shanghai until her high school graduation, existing in a metropolitan world that blended her traditional Chinese family and heritage with values from her international school education. Helen was heavily involved in global leadership and international affairs in many different avenues of her life. She was part of the leadership team at Huge Grace Orphanage, starting a dental program that provided free fluoride treatments to the children that resided there. She was also involved in Model United Nations for 16 years of her life, culminating in her election as Secretary-General for Brown University Simulation of the United Nations, one of the largest and most prestigious conferences in the global high school circuit. At Brown, Helen was also involved in Global Brigades, volunteering over 600+ hours to spearhead medical brigades to Tegucigalpa, Honduras that provided free consultations and medication to local villages. Lastly, Helen held the Lead Coordinator role for Brown’s Women in Science and Engineering club, promoting female empowerment in male dominated fields and creating networks of mentorship and support for professional development in the scientific fields.
Working in Rhode Island Hospital’s Emergency Department during COVID solidified Helen’s desire to enter medicine. Her experiences interacting with a diverse patient population sparked a passion to emphasize the importance of intersectionality and the social determinants of health when interacting with patients. She hopes to eventually work within the public health system to create educational curriculums and residency trainings that specifically spotlight how social and cultural experiences impact one’s perception and interactions with the medical system, with a belief that re-emphasizing this human connection will strengthen physician- patient relationships and immensely improve quality of care.
Helen has plans to move back to the States in September 2023 and is eager to continue her educational journey to medical school. She is excited to create interdisciplinary connections at the Trebuchet that will strengthen her holistic outlooks to inform her role as a future physician.