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Tristan Jafari

Gates Cambridge Scholarship
2025 (awarded)
Truman Scholarship
2025 (awarded)
Major: Biochemistry
Hometown: Mukilteo, WA

I am a biochemistry student with interests in emergency medicine, public health, and harm reduction. I was raised in Mukilteo, WA, in a German-Iranian-American household, where I was surrounded by a mix of, at times contradictory, cultures, languages, and perspectives. Growing up in this environment, I learned to be constantly curious about different ways of thinking and communicating.

My experiences as an EMT, researcher, and public health advocate have solidified my commitment to improving emergency response infrastructure. At UW, I founded and currently lead the first collegiate-based EMS agency in Washington State, developing a student-staffed 9-1-1 response service to improve on-campus emergency response times.

I plan to pursue an MPhil in Population Health Sciences at the University of Cambridge, followed by an M.D., to integrate public health strategies with clinical practice. My long-term vision is to serve as both a physician and policy leader, working at the intersection of emergency medicine and public health preparedness.

Goals

In the near term, I aim to strengthen my expertise in epidemiology, public health policy, and emergency response systems through my MPhil studies at Cambridge. Long term, I intend to practice as an emergency physician while leading policy initiatives that enhance medical crisis response and expand harm reduction programs.

Tips

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