Pickering focused on career in pediatric medicine

Unlike many of his peers who waited until college to settle on a field of study, Matt Pickering has had his career goals mapped out since he was 10.

The Virginia Beach native has always loved science, and he has a natural rapport with children. His mother suggested Pickering might one day become a pediatrician. The idea stuck and Pickering’s mind has been set on going to medical school ever since.Pickering, who plans to attend med school in 2007, will spend the next year working as a certified nurse’s assistant at Johnson City Medical Center in Johnson City, Tenn.

"When I become a doctor, I think it will be beneficial for me to have had the perspective of working at the opposite end of the medical spectrum,” Pickering said.

During his sophomore year at UVa-Wise, Pickering spent one Friday a week working with Dr. Joe Frank Smiddy at his Kingsport, Tenn. practice. “Dr. Smiddy showed me a lot about how a hospital works behind the scenes,” Pickering said.

Pickering’s five years of study at UVa-Wise have been filled with successes. He was selected to serve as the student representative on the UVa-Wise Board, he worked as a resident advisor, and he helped found Alpha Sigma Phi, a service fraternity.He was selected to work as a FINS (Fellowship in the Natural Sciences) scholar and spent a summer conducting research with faculty in the Department of Natural Sciences. Pickering’s study used frog DNA to examine how the amphibians migrate and how the environment affects reproduction.

"It was important for me to have the opportunity to conduct undergraduate research,” Pickering said. "I was able to learn what science is really about – a lot of trial and error and formulating and questioning ideas.”

Pickering, who graduated magna cum laude with a degree in biology, said UVa-Wise, with its rigorous science program, was a perfect match with his professional aspirations.