My name is Christos Nicholas Sarantopoulos and I was born in Pasadena, California. Both of my parents come from Greece. From a young age, my parents and grandparents taught me the Greek traditions and values that I appreciate such as family, respect for others, education, and the teachings of the Greek Orthodox Church. I earned a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences at the University of California, Irvine and also promoted Greek language and heritage as a member of the UC Irvine Hellenic Ambassadors as an undergraduate student. I am currently a third-year medical student at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine in Michigan. Through my school, I volunteer to feed the homeless and provide medical relief for disasters.
I am currently a member of the Dermatology Interest Group, where I serve as the secretary. I have volunteered with the Michigan Dermatological Society and the American Academy of Dermatology through various events. I also volunteer with the OUWB Student-Run Free Clinic to provide free health care to the homeless and low-income population of metro Detroit and have shadowed and assisted a dermatologist. I also conduct dermatology research with the Henry Ford Health System and have several research publications in process. I hope to be a dermatologist one day and help comfort and heal those with skin afflictions, while also giving back to the Greek community. I want to thank the HAMDS scholarship committee for continuing to support my academic and personal goals.