Bracha Gluck has always loved the sciences, but it wasn’t until she spent a summer volunteering at a local hospital that she knew for certain she wanted a career in medicine.

“I was drawn to healthcare for the positive impact you can have on other people’s lives,” she said, and during that summer, “I fell in love with the collaborative environment that I was a part of, and it cemented my decision to pursue medicine.”

An animal lover who enjoys cooking and baking, Gluck attended Bruriah High School. It was in her senior year there that she applied and was accepted to Touro’s Medical Honors Pathway program, a program that provides a direct pathway from high school to medical school for qualified students. She then spent a year in seminary at the Michlalah college in Jerusalem before coming to LCW to continue her academic journey.

“I chose Touro because it is the perfect blend of academia and spirituality that allows me to be a competitive student without compromising any of my values,” she said.

Her most favorite college experience was the opportunity to take part in Touro’s bioethics trip to Thailand, where she was able to see and experience firsthand how cultural differences influence healthcare.

After graduation, Gluck will start a new position as a part-time research assistant in the cardiothoracic department at New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. Excited to begin Touro’s New York Medical College, she says, “I hope to make an impact not only in the world of medicine, but also within the Jewish community by giving back with my new profession.”