Orthopedic surgeon Denise Durant’97 credits her liberal arts education for her success in medical school. How to prepare for a career in medicine or health care?  Here’s what orthopedic surgeon Denise Durant ’97, who is in private practice in Bennington, VT, suggests was her experience:

“The small class sizes at St. Lawrence really prepared me for small-group activities and projects in med school. What makes a great physician is not 4.0 grades, although good grades do help, but to be able to communicate with patients, colleagues, and staff.  Patients want physicians who can talk to them, not recite every page of Gray's Anatomy verbatim.  St. Lawrence graduates balanced young people.”

Denise double majored in biology and psychology at St. Lawrence and earned her medical degree from Johns Hopkins.  She is a member of the St. Lawrence Board of Trustees, where she works with fellow alumni, parents and the University administration and faculty to assure the well-rounded education and opportunities that strengthen leadership, service and communications skills, and that to create the environment for faculty and staff to guide students along the way.