Welcome! I'm Olivia Koo '26, hailing from Los Alamos, New Mexico. I am studying biological chemistry on the pre-med track, and I'm excited to be supplementing it with music, as a classical pianist and singer-songwriter! Some of my favorite things to do are watching YouTube videos about video games, singing and playing my guitar, and reading New York Times op-eds. Look through my page for information about Dartmouth's pre-med track, STEM research, acapella/music, and study abroad opportunities!
Unsure whether I would enjoy the biology-heavy pre-health track, I took an intro biology class. I surprisingly found myself so invested each class—I didn’t think I’d ever be excited trying to determine if the Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA) had DNA or RNA, but here we are! I found it a great introduction to thinking processes at Dartmouth.
I loved coming to this class with its supportive environment! The professor's feedback really helped me improve in my writing. This course guided us through personal narratives and organizational writing while discussing what it really means to be authentic. It also introduced me to the library’s resources for writing and research!
This class was definitely not easy! The accelerated version of general chemistry, it was my first class at Dartmouth that used a textbook, and I had to adapt and learn how to use a textbook for a class properly. But that didn't mean I didn't have a good time! The classes were full of physical demonstrations, and I felt very supported in the lab and beyond.
This was the first group music class I took, and I loved it! Each class we'd move a little forward in time; one day we'd talk about medieval chants, and by the next couple weeks, we talked about Baroque music. We even got to observe original medieval music scores from the Rauner Library, and attend a performance of Baroque music by the Dartmouth Symphony Orchestra!
Songwriting 1 was the first time I was able to work on something creative/in the arts at Dartmouth, and I really loved it! I got to learn how to improve my songwriting and get to know a community of fellow songwriters on campus. The class was both supportive and constructive, and I pushed myself to my creative limit with the assignment of writing one new song a week. This class inspired me to continue writing and being expressive, whether in an academic setting or not.
For one of my classes on the London Music FSP, I got to attend a myriad of musical performances in London and discuss them with my class! It was a once-in-a-life-time experience–getting to watch multiple operas, ballets, jazz sets, and a musical, as well as seeing beautiful performances from the London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic, and more, helped me grow my ear so much and my inspirations as a musician.
I took this class to learn a little more about the social landscape around medicine, and this class delivered that by a mile. From environmental exposure to racial inequities in medicine/health to the discussion of medicine itself as a manipulative tool in colonialist social structures, this class helped me rethink medicine and my role within it.
Before my sophomore summer, I was worried about the classes I would take for the iconic Dartmouth term. Several upperclassmen told me that they took only two classes, to enjoy more of the sun and relaxed atmosphere of the summer. Others said that they used the opportunity to catch up on distributives, which are required classes with varied subjects for the major. I chose my classes this summer in the interest of gauging my own interest in medicine, as a pre-medicalstudent.
1. Environmental Chemistry
For my chemistry major, I am taking Environmental Chemistry, which is only offered in the summer term! The class is an overview of different chemicals and their functions in regulating the environment. So far, we've covered pesticides, carcinogens, and other pollutants. We get to learn about how they impact the body, as well. In addition to our lecture section, we get to develop our own independent, term-long research project relating to a chemical in the environment, ranging from microplastics to PFAS. I am in a group working on determining phosphate levels in water bodies around Hanover! I've really enjoyed the interactions between the lecture and lab portion, as well as learning more about how the body is impacted by environmental contaminants.
Here's one of my group members measuring the dissolved oxygen in a pond! (credit: Autumn Clark '26)
2. Physiology
Anatomy and physiology is probably the most medical you can get; what's better than learning the parts of the body? The pace of the class is fast, with lots of content, but it's an interesting course! The lab section is even better: we get to dissect animal parts and identify the organs–it can be a little gross, but it's really fascinating!
Here's a cow heart that we dissected.
3. Introduction to Literature and Medicine
For my literature requirement for my distributive requirements, I decided to sign up for the introduction to literature and medicine. I'm glad to say that it's been one of my most interesting classes I've had at Dartmouth so far. Taking medicine to a different, postcolonial lens, the class focuses on the ethics and paradigms of Western medicine itself. It's helped me think of medicine in a new way!
In all, the greatest thing with these classes, however, is when content from one class becomes relevant to another. I've had several times so far where a molecule mentioned in my chemistry class is the center of an article I'm reading in my literature class, or a mechanism of a chemical on the body is brought into more detail in my biology class. I'm excited to see how my classes continue this term!
Through Dartmouth's Guarini Institute for International Study, I am getting to take classes and experience life at Wellesley College, an all-women's school!
Academics can be challenging at Dartmouth. But there are lots of groups across campus here to support you through your academic journey. Read on for my experience asking for help and a few organizations that might be helpful to you!
