Barry University’s School of Podiatric Medicine (BUSPM) Student Doctor Stephanie Wu was awarded the Podiatry Insurance Company of America Scholarship (PICA). Wu, a fourth year student, was born in Hawaii, and raised in Taiwan and California. She graduated from the University of California, San Diego, with a bachelor’s degree in human biology.
Her journey into healthcare began early. As a freshman, she was a lab assistant at the Moores Cancer Center in San Diego. She later worked as a research associate at the National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research in La Jolla. Wu dedicated nine years to neurodegenerative research before finally deciding to pursue her passion in clinical medicine.
The PICA scholarship is awarded to a BUSPM student with a 3.0 or greater GPA, a demonstrated commitment to community service and participation in BUSPM clubs. During her four years at BUSPM, Student Doctor Wu participated in multiple volunteer events such as the Special Olympics in Orlando, Thanksgiving on Good Friday foot washing sponsored by Miami Rescue Mission, and many others. She believes in giving back to the community that provided her an outstanding education.
She also attended two medical missions, to the Dominican Republic in 2017, and to the Bahamas in 2020. Wu’s most recent trip with Dr. Shanika Hill, Clinical Dean of Podiatric Medicine, reinforced for Wu the importance of diabetic foot education and preventative care. The team saw over 600 patients in a week and provided wound care, diabetic, and hypertensive education, and treated various podiatric pathologies. Wu hopes to lead and provide global podiatric care through medical missions in the future.
In the near future, her goals include providing a teaching environment for incoming students and others at hospitals, clinics, and universities. She would like to increase awareness of podiatry by speaking at student panels on a national level and becoming involved with national podiatric organizations. After graduating in May 2020, she will head to a residency program at DVA - Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System and Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, Rubin Institute.