Journey to Medicine

Laura Ragmanauskaite, MD, completed the 2015 post-baccalaureate pre-medical program at Agnes Scott before completing her doctor of medicine degree at Emory University School of Medicine. Originally from Lithuania, she moved to the United States at 13 years old. She attended Furman University for her undergraduate degree on a path to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology, but chose a new direction two months before graduation.

“I decided I wanted to be a doctor, and my fear of physics was not a good enough reason not to go for it,” she said. “I have always enjoyed learning about all the amazing things our bodies can do, and being a doctor lets me use that knowledge to help people. There is no better career in my opinion.” As Ragmanauskaite was researching postbaccalaureate programs to complete her prerequisites for medical school, Agnes Scott’s support of women in science made it the clear winner.

“From the amazing professors to the great classmates, three of which are now my classmates at Emory, I could not have asked for a better post-baccalaureate pre-medical program,” she says. “The best part of the program was the professors. They were so invested in helping us excel and building a solid educational foundation.”

Ragmanauskaite completed the program in June 2015, and along with this strong foundation in the sciences, she gained great friendships with her fellow students.“I built a strong bond with my amazing cohort,” she says. “One of my favorite memories was our postbaccalaureate pre-medical prom, where we came dressed in our best to our very last physics lab, then went out to celebrate in Decatur.”

“The post-baccalaureate pre-medical program at Agnes Scott is fantastic, and its focus is to help you in achieving your goals,” she adds. “It is a great environment in which to learn and grow.”

Currently, Dr. Ragmanauskaite is in residency at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.