May 18, 2007 :: No. 207

When Rachelle Tibbetts first began her college education seven years ago, she wasn’t sure of a career goal. But after taking courses in child and adolescent development, then later in biology, she decided she wanted to work with terminally ill children and become a physician.

After this weekend’s commencement ceremonies at Cal State Fullerton, she’ll head off to medical school in the fall — to either USC or UC San Francisco. She hasn’t made a decision yet and is torn between the two.

“I’m interested in pediatric oncology, but I’m definitely keeping an open mind to other specialties,” said Tibbetts, who holds a 3.96 GPA.

She is graduating summa cum laude from Cal State Fullerton, having double majored in biological science with an emphasis in cell and developmental biology, and also in child and adolescent development with a minor in psychology. She will participate in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics commencement exercise at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, May 20, on the lawn west of the Engineering Building.

Because of her outstanding academic achievements, Tibbetts is also the 2007 recipient of the university’s Miles D. McCarthy Health Professions Award. The award is named for the late founding faculty member who was the architect of the university’s acclaimed Health Professions program. It’s presented annually to the outstanding health professions student who demonstrates high academic achievement, integrity and a commitment to serve humanity.

“It’s hard to put into words what it means to receive the award,” said Tibbetts, who lives in Covina. “I’ve known what a great honor this award is, and ironically, I never really thought of myself as being considered for it until recently. It has been such a great honor to receive this award, and it has been a really wonderful culmination of my education and journey toward medicine.”

During her junior year, Tibbetts landed an internship on the pediatric floor of a local hospital. It was then when she became aware of just how much more interested she was in medicine and the doctor’s role with children.

She decided to pursue a pre-medicine education, which turned out not to be as simple as she thought. Tibbetts spent three more semesters taking full loads of science courses before declaring biological science as her second major.

“It took me three extra years to complete the biological science major,” she said, adding that the extra time, which amounted to a total of seven years spent completing her undergraduate studies in two separate fields, was worth it to find her career path.

This year, Tibbetts served as president of the Student Health Professions Association, an organization for students pursuing a career in health professions. She also has been involved in researching tumor immunology in the lab of David Drath, professor of biological science and coordinator of health professions advising.

“Rachelle is a young woman of remarkable character, intelligence and compassion. She inspires others by example and has earned the utmost respect of her fellow students and her teachers,” Drath said. “Her record of academic achievement, her integrity and her humanitarian contributions are the very embodiment of this award. Rachelle is destined to become the kind of physician you would entrust with the care of your family and is clearly one of the finest pre-med applicants that we have seen in the last 10 years.”

She has volunteered on the oncology floor at Children’s Hospital of Orange County, at Camp Ronald McDonald for children with cancer and with LIGA - The Flying Doctors of Mercy to deliver health services to needy people in Mexico. During the summer of 2005, she worked in a maternity ward at a rural hospital in Quillabamba, Peru.

Tibbetts has made the dean’s list in both majors every semester and was the recipient of the 2005 Outstanding Student in General Chemistry Award. She also has been a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Golden Key Honor Society. She is among those being recognized at tonight’s Honors Convocation, held on the eve of commencement ceremonies.

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