By Lisa Zepponi
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Katherine Anne Terracina, a junior at Greenville St. Joseph High School attended the Congress of Future Medical Leaders in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 14-16.

Katherine Anne Terracina

The congress is an honors-only program to honor, inspire, motivate and direct the top high school students in the country who aspire to be physicians or medical scientists, to stay true to their dream and, after the event, to provide a path, plan and resources to help them reach their goal.

During the three-day congress, Terracina joined students from across the country to hear Nobel laureates and National Medal of Science winners talk about leading medical research; be given 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.

“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 Terracina are our future and she deserves all the mentoring and guidance we can give her.”

Some of the services and programs the academy plans to launch in 2014 are online social networks through which future doctors and medical scientists can communicate; opportunities for students to be guided and mentored by physicians and medical students; and communications for parents and students on college acceptance and finances, skills acquisition, internships, career guidance and more.