Sophomore Kaitlyn Zierenberg has plans to become a orthopedic surgeon. An orthopedic surgeon works with the musculoskeletal system, which includes bones, tendons, muscles, joints and ligaments. Zierenberg has planned for her future ever since she was 10 years old, although she didn’t have a specific person she looked up to for finding her passion to pursue medicine. Instead, her love of medicine came from the hit tv show Bones, the series ended in March of 2017.

“It showed me what it’s like to help people the most with life or death situations,” Zierenberg said.

Zierenberg is in two science classes right now, including the PLTW class Principle of Biomedical Sciences and the science class Pre-AP Biology. While Zierenberg has a strong interest in medicine, she is involved in a variety of activities like, StuCo, KOE and volleyball- both for the school and for a select team called MOVA. Not only does Zierenberg work hard in her activities, but she also focuses hard in school.

“Kaitlyn is a very hard worker, very responsible and she does a very good job in my class,” Dawn Hahn, Principles of Biomedical Sciences teacher, said. “I think Kaitlyn will most definitely succeed with this career if she takes every chemistry and science class she can in high school and keeps working hard to reach her dream.”

At the moment, Zeirenberg is looking at different options for college to help her advance her interest in orthopedics. At the moment, Washington University in St. Louis, the University of Texas and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences are her top choices of colleges to attend.

“Kaitlyn is a hard working student and does amazing in my class everyday,” Hahn said. “Kaitlyn can strive to be a surgeon if she puts her mind to it.”