Hello! I'm Tatum, a rising sophomore at Columbia University originally from Columbus, Ohio. I am studying Biology on a pre-med track with aspirations to become a pediatric physician. My personal experiences as a child with congenital heart disease have fueled my passion for pediatric cardiology.

This summer, my interests in specialized care, genetics, children, cardiology, and athletics have converged in my first Laidlaw Summer Research project. Over a six-week period, I have conducted research at the Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital’s Program for Cardiomyopathy, Heart Failure, and Transplantation. My work culminated in a comprehensive database that includes the 781 unique patients seen by the physicians in the program over the past year (June 2023-June 2024). With the completion of the database, I am currently working on a publication that highlights the disparity in restrictions placed on children with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy compared to other subtypes of cardiomyopathy. This involves analyzing which clinical data points are most crucial in making decisions to restrict patients from athletics and comparing the criteria for restriction within the Program for Cardiomyopathy, Heart Failure, and Transplantation to the 2024 AHA Guidelines for the Management of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in Children. I hope this analysis will advance the field of pediatric cardiology, both in New York City and globally, by highlighting the need for specialized treatment that allows patients to experience as much normalcy as possible while growing up.

I am also a student-athlete at Columbia University where I am a member of the softball team. The world of sports has taught me great amounts of leadership skills, while also demonstrating that you are never too young to learn. I am also a member of the Columbia Christian Athletes group and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. In my free time, I love to explore New York City by walking by Citi-bike, seeing performances, and trying new restaurants (I am a BIG foodie!). However, now as a college student, I greatly cherish the time I spend with my loved ones and family, simply relaxing together.

I am grateful to be part of the Laidlaw Community, and I look forward with enthusiasm to the future, where I anticipate further developing my leadership skills, fostering more meaningful relationships, expanding my research knowledge, and building on my valuable clinical experience.