Page 3 of 6

Elyssa Rubertino, OMS III

Inaugural 2008 Harmon Scholar

Elyssa Rubertino’s passion for medicine grew out of childhood tragedy. The death of her four-year-old brother by a drunk driver inspired first anger at the medical profession and, later, curiosity. In high school, she volunteered in the same emergency room that served her family. Her powerful experiences in the ER led her to shadow physicians in various specialties.

Rubertino applied for the Harmon Scholarship because, she says, “I wanted to pursue a scholarship that meant something. With the loss of (Richard Harmon’s) son, I share a similar loss. It was important for me to have that connection.”

During her undergraduate studies, Rubertino served as a health integrator at The Church Health Center in Memphis. She advised low-income patients about preventive health and ongoing care on a budget. She says those factors led her to choose OU-COM, which she sees as a medical college that values serving underprivileged populations and uses a “whole person” approach to medical care.

“The generosity (of the Northeastern Ohio Health Care Foundation) has made my education possible,” Rubertino says.

Gurbinder Singh, OMS IV

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]