Meet the 13-Year-Old Starting Medical School

In less than ten days, the new school year will begin both in Israel and worldwide. However, for 13-year-old Alina Anlay Wicker from Texas, USA, it won’t be an ordinary school year.

Alina will be starting medical school instead of entering eighth grade.

She is set to graduate from the University of Alabama's medical school by the age of 21. "Just knowing that I achieved my goal of getting into medical school at this age excites me," Alina shares.

Her medical education will span eight years: four years of theoretical studies and four years of internships at a hospital. Speaking about the moment when she was accepted into medical school, Alina describes it as "an amazing moment," achieved through hard work, including two bachelor's degree programs completed at the University of Arizona and Oakwood University. "After COVID-19, I decided to specialize in virology. I want to research viruses to help people heal from them," she explains.

But that's not all.

Despite finishing high school a year ago (in itself quite astonishing), Alina didn't rest this past year. She founded a volunteer club that helps African-American girls like herself with tutoring in technology, engineering, mathematics, and science. This endeavor earned her a special award from the President of the United States himself.