ATLANTA — While many consider graduation to be one of the most defining moments of their life, neuroscience and journalism dual major Evelyn Farkas said her life-defining moment came as a teenager.
At 13 years old, Farkas began to experience symptoms related to anxiety, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Doctors later discovered Farkas had a bacterial brain infection. The healing process became a significant moment in her life, pushing her to pursue a career in the health field.
“It was a really defining moment for me. I saw so many neurologists and psychologists before I was able to get a proper diagnosis and treatment plan,” Farkas said.
During this time, Farkas’ mother, a registered nurse, and her pediatrician were her biggest advocates. Farkas was out of school for a month, bouncing from doctor’s office to doctor’s office.
“I saw a lot of sides of healthcare. The good and the bad. My mom made sure I got the care and treatment I needed,” Farkas said. “That’s when I realized what I wanted to do in my life. I wanted to advocate for kids who are struggling and feel like they don’t have a voice.”
Farkas’ advocacy efforts continued in college. While at Georgia State, Farkas completed an internship with the Georgia Recorder to cover state legislation focused on mental and developmental disabilities.
While interning with the Georgia Recorder, Farkas covered stories like the Georgia Legislature approving coverage to help first responders with job-related PTSD and a Georgia House committee passing a bill to end sub-minimum wage for workers with disabilities.
“It was such an amazing way to combine journalism and medicine,” Farkas said. “It was an amazing experience because I learned so much about politics, public policy and advocacy work. [Writing] is something I’d love to continue in my career.”
Because of her writing ability, Farkas was also named the inaugural editor-in-chief of Grey Matters, Georgia State’s neuroscience magazine.
Farkas will be graduating from Georgia State this spring. After graduation, she plans to pursue a career as a physician scientist and has been accepted into two M.D.-Ph.D. degree programs.
“There were so many times I was scared I was going to fail and that I wasn’t going to make it to graduate school or medical school,” Farkas said. “I’m so grateful for the amount of support Georgia State has given me. I’m thankful to my parents for their support as well, and for providing me with everything I needed to succeed.”
-Photo by Raven Schley