It’s become a cliché: “They are wise beyond their years.” Unless you’re referring to Debora Ferede.
Ferede, 22, is the only undergraduate in the lab of BBI’s Dr. Rhea Coler’s at Seattle Children’s Research Institute, conducting research as a trainee through the Tuberculosis Research and Training Center funded by the National Institutes of Health. In addition, she already has nearly three years of clinical experience, including her current work as a volunteer health coach at Valley Medical Center in Renton, where she supports patients managing chronic health conditions.
Moreover, she served as the executive officer of the University of Washington’s Minority Association of Pre-Health Students, a “community of underrepresented pre-medical students providing members with knowledge and experiences needed to be socially conscious healthcare professionals.” In 2021, she was a UW Husky 100 recipient. Ferede also is conversational in Amharic, the native language of Ethiopia.
Spend just a few minutes with Ferede and one soon realizes that her “wisdom beyond her years” is grounded in a compassionate commitment to serving others, especially those in underserved communities.
“Medicine is really tied into advocacy,” Ferede said. “A lot of people see this as a glamorous profession, but it’s important to recognize this is all about advocating in my community and other marginalized communities.”
