Dr. Rachel B. Wagman ’89 was the on-campus special guest of Club Med, an Upper School group of students who are interested in the medical field. After a tour of campus with one of her favorite teachers, Becky Pizzino 1760, Wagman shared her college and career path with the students. Her story began way back when she started at GA in Kindergarten, realizing even then that she wanted to be a doctor.

After graduation, Wagman stayed local and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania where she majored in American History with a minor in Chemistry before attending medical school at what was then Jefferson Medical College.

“The experience with my history teacher at GA, Mr. [Jack] Rydell, sparked my interest to major in history,” she said. “I really enjoyed literature and languages classes as well, and I took Latin and Spanish for five years. I guess I am definitely more left brain!”

After choosing Internal Medicine as her specialty, Wagman realized she had spent a lot of time in Philadelphia and wanted to see something different. After making a trip out to the West Coast, she decided to pursue her subspecialty training in endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism at Stanford University School of Medicine in Palo Alto, CA.

While she planned to pursue a career as a clinical educator at an academic medical center, she followed her mentor to the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry, taking her first job at Eli Lilly and Company in Indianapolis, IN. “The position was just what I wanted,” Wagman told the group. “I got to do clinical research, work with diverse teams, teach at the university level, and have an opportunity to see patients.”

Throughout her career in the biotechnology industry, Wagman worked at different companies on the West Coast.  Currently, she is working with two companies, Sumitoma Pharma America and EnteraBio, doing clinical research and bringing products to market that help patients, not only in the US, but also internationally.

She told Club Med students that the medical field has been very rewarding, not just professionally, but also personally. “As a doctor you are learning your entire career,” Wagman commented. “You must determine where your lightbulb goes off. Try as many different opportunities as possible.” 

Wagman commented on how different the GA facilities are from when she was a student, finding the current ones state-of-the-art. “Having these facilities truly helps students learn, Wagman stated. “As GA students advance to the collegiate level, they will own a foundation of knowledge that puts them ahead of their peers. This campus, the way it has evolved, is magnificent. It offers a richness to the formative years that can’t be achieved everywhere else.”

GA’s foundation showed Wagman success early on. She still finds critical thinking, not accepting an answer at its surface but really delving into the reasoning behind what supports an answer, a valuable tool. “The virtue of having Harkness tables is that discussion-based learning is promoted here,” Wagman said. “It fosters the dialogue which is so important in educational pursuits. It teaches you how to advocate your position. You get confidence in your reasoning. This is where GA continues to excel.”

Jianna Kim ’25, Club Med student leader, asked Wagman about how she was able to find each different career opportunity. “This is when your network is really helpful,” Wagman replied. “Maybe someone here at GA in the alumni network (Patriot Connect) or in the Alumni Office or one of your teachers can help you with opportunities. Never underestimate the value of your network. I am just so fortunate to have attended here.”