First Year Medical Student | Ivy League Graduate

Issa S.

Hi everyone! My name is Issa, and I’m excited to get to know you all. I am currently a first year medical student in Philadelphia training to become an oncologist. I recently graduated from Cornell University with a degree in Biological Sciences and a concentration in Cell Biology. During my time there, I conducted several years of biochemistry research and completed an honors thesis. I have expertise in biology, biochemistry, biostatistics, and chemistry.

When I first started college, I often struggled to truly internalize material from lectures. I found that the most effective way for me to learn was by working through problems slowly and collaboratively. That’s the approach I bring to tutoring: helping you develop strong problem-solving skills and the confidence to tackle assignments independently. In our sessions, you'll identify content that you are struggling with, then we’ll focus on problems that not only test your understanding of the content, but also strengthen your ability to interpret and approach questions. And if you learn best in a different way, I’m always happy to adjust to your needs.

I have one year of experience tutoring college-level molecular biology as a teaching assistant, where I helped students who needed concepts broken down more thoroughly. I also have two years of experience tutoring high school students in language courses, English, and social studies.

I’m an incoming medical student starting in summer 2026. I scored a 515 on the MCAT (91st percentile) and am excited to share the strategies that helped me prepare for such a challenging exam. I’m happy to offer advice on medical school applications.

Feel free to reach out! I typically respond within an hour.