By Michelle Hiskey
NCAA.org

At the very heart of medicine is the defense of life itself. Seeing that power very personally early on in her college career made Duke senior middle blocker/outside hitter Sophia Dunworth want to become a doctor. She took advantage of a special support program for female athletes who are premed.

"Before coming to college, medicine was only a secondary possibility," said Dunworth, who was set on a career related to biology because the "incredible complexity and perfection of life" fascinated her.

"Then, during my first two years of college, the illness of one of my friends, and then of my mom, directed me completely toward a career in medicine," Dunworth said. "Without the doctor who discovered her aneurysm and the surgeon who replaced her aorta, my mom might not have been around to see my sister's wedding or my graduation this May."

To read the complete article, visit NCAA.org at the following link:

http://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/public/ncaa/resources/latest+news/2012/january/paging+student-athlete+sophia+dunworth