Pranav Karra has his sights set on medical school
Pranav Karra, who grew up in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, will be graduating this winter with a bachelor’s in biology. In this Q&A, he discusses his experience as a transfer student, why he decided to pursue the biology major, and his interest in physiology, genetics, and cellular biology. Pranav plans on applying to medical school.
What’s your hometown? / Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. It’s about an hour and a half drive from here.
Why did you choose your major? What was the most interesting or the coolest thing you learned?
I’ve grown an interest in physiology, but I was also interested in genetics and cellular biology. So, I thought being a biology major would be the best balance, especially because I am pursuing the pre-med path. Many of the core classes in the major fall into the requirements for pre-med, so it made my journey more straightforward.
The coolest thing I have learned was in my Anat&Phys 335 class, where we learned how to interpret an EKG graph of the heart, understanding what each peak and trough represented.
What student organizations, groups, and other activities were you involved in?
Since I transferred to Madison during my Junior year, I didn’t have much time to get involved as I normally would have. Even then, I did my best to get involved in different opportunities. I was a “Peer Learning Volunteer” for Anat&Phys 335. I am currently doing research with Professor Pelegri, where we work with zebrafish embryos.
What are your future academic and/or career plans, short-term and long-term?
I plan on applying to med school this coming May, so I’ll be taking a gap year in between. During that gap year, I plan on accumulating more clinical experiences through work and shadowing.
What were the most valuable and/or meaningful experiences you had in CALS?
The most meaningful experience for me was working with my advisor to plan out my future as a newly transferred Madison student, a CALS bio major, and a pre-med student. This really helped me feel grounded with a clear direction to move in.
When you think about your time here as a student, what are you proud of?
I am most proud of keeping a good social life and relationship with my loved ones while staying on top of all my classes and work.
Do you have any advice you’d like to share with CALS students?
Something that took me a while to realize is that while school is very important to be on top of, it is never a good idea to sacrifice your own well-being and relationships. While of course you should keep things in moderation, it’s always worth taking time for not only yourself, but also your current relationships and future ones. I found this was helpful, especially for avoiding burnout.
What do you like most about being a CALS student?
My favorite thing about the CALS community is how helpful and resourceful they are. They always send emails to let us know of upcoming events, important dates, and provide resources that could help us on our journey, such as how to find research opportunities. My advisor and CALS staff were also a huge help in my transition from Parkside to Madison, as well as my continuous pre-med journey.
If you had to eat one Babcock ice cream flavor for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
If I had to choose one ice cream flavor, it would be blue moon. It’s so good, I could never get tired of it. Probably mostly due to the nostalgia, I would always get a blue moon at lunch in high school, the few times they would serve it. It also goes amazingly with strawberry ice cream.
What’s your favorite thing about the city of Madison?
My favorite thing about Madison is how it’s a city full of people my age. Everyone here is trying to advance their career, but at the same time, have the time of their lives. I also love the lively city with State Street, Memorial Union, the lake, and the capital. It’s always nice to take a walk through these places.