GREENVILLE – St. Joseph High School  12th grader, Katherine Anne Terracina, and Virginia Virden, 11th grader, attended the Congress of Future Medical Leaders in Washington, D.C., Nov 14-16.
The congress is an honors-only program for high school students who want to become physicians or go into medical research fields. The purpose of this event is to honor, inspire, motivate and direct the top students in the country who aspire to be physicians, medical scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians, to stay true to their dream and, after the event, to provide a path, plan and resources to help them reach their goal.

Teracina

Terracina and Virden were nominated by Dr. Connie Marian, the medical director of the National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists to represent Mississippi based on their academic achievements, leadership potential and determination to serve humanity in the field of medicine.
During the three-day congress, both students joined students from across the country to listen to Nobel Laureates and National Medal of Science winners talk about leading medical research; receive advice from Ivy League and top medical school deans on what is to be expected in medical school; witness stories told by patients who are living medical miracles; be inspired by fellow teen medical science prodigies; and learn about cutting-edge advances and the future in medicine and medical technology.

Virden

“This is a crucial time in America when we need more doctors and medical scientists who are even better prepared for a future that is changing exponentially,” said Richard Rossi, executive director, National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists.
“Focused, bright and determined students like Katherine Anne and Virginia are our future and they deserve all the mentoring and guidance we can give them,” Rossi said.
The National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists was founded on the belief that we must identify prospective medical talent at the earliest possible age and help these students acquire  necessary experience and skills to take them to the doorstep of this vital career.