Courtney Bowen S’14: Chase Your Curiosity (Even When It’s Scary)
Brown medical student, Courtney Bowen, discusses the non-linear path of following your interests and how TMS impacted her along the way.
If you had asked Courtney Bowen what she planned to do after TMS, she would've said medicine. When she arrived at college, however, she was encouraged to chase after whatever interested her: "Medicine will always be here." After studying economics at Stanford, Bowen pursued a career in finance before stepping away from her job to assist in global health initiatives in Guyana. She began medical school in 2023 and is currently a second-year med student at Brown University.
Courtney has since returned to TMS campus to share her experience with current students. Here, she sits down with Ani Li F’24 & Aurora Chevalier F’24 for a Q&A. Ani and Aurora’s piece was originally published in the Fall 2024 Part 1 edition of Pearls and Seaweed, TMS’s alumni newsletter.
“A lot can be learned in vulnerable moments, which is sometimes hard and sometimes scary. Lean into things that scare you. That’s where some of the most profound growth and connection and relationships come from.”
What was your solo experience like? How did it impact your time at TMS and life after?
Pre-solo I was definitely very scared. I was afraid of the dark and the solo was going to be very dark, and remember that being my main focus: I thought, I don't know if I can do this. I'm going to be very scared. And then, obviously, I did it and I survived. That was big––big from the perspective that I overcame something I wasn't sure I could do and I didn't let fear stop me. I still think back on that as a really important lesson.
What was your favorite TMS class? Why?
I loved Environmental Science with Bruce. In general, science just fills me with so much awe and amazement to realize there's so many complex systems going on behind anything you look at. Environmental Science was really cool because it explained so many things that you interact with but that I never understood, whether it's wind or how trees fall or how forests evolve over time or why the topography is a certain way based on what animals were there. It just gave the context and the story for everything that we always see. I also loved using nature as our actual classroom, like skiing around the Inner Loop with Bruce and pointing out trees or walking to our science site and telling the history of the space. It was such a cool, very embodied way to learn.
How has TMS shaped your life?
I think in a very simple, obvious way, the people I met at TMS are still some of my best friends, some of the most important people in my life. Bigger picture, more existential? TMS wasn't perfect, it was hard and challenging and had its ups and downs, but it was also this ideal utopia for me. You were with people who you really cared about in a place you really cared about working on something you really cared about. You were just so deeply invested in the place and in the community and that for me is still the standard for what I want from my life. When I left finance, I didn't know exactly what I was looking for, but I knew I wanted something similar to the feeling that I had at TMS. I wanted to be with people who were like-minded, working hard towards a goal, working together.
Any advice?
A lot can be learned in vulnerable moments, which is sometimes hard and sometimes scary. Lean into things that scare you. That's where some of the most profound growth and connection and relationships come from. Savor it. It's such a special place and such a special time. There will never be anything like it again in your life. Enjoy it. Cherish it. Be as present as possible. And stay in touch with your TMS folks.