Kirpa

Meet Kirpa Kaur, a remarkable dual enrollment student who has achieved an incredible milestone: over 60 college credits at Howard Community College (HCC) in just a year and a half—all while juggling the demands of high school. Now, she’s setting her sights on the nation’s top medical schools, but her journey has been anything but easy. Along the way, she has learned invaluable lessons in empathy that will shape her future as a healthcare professional.

"At Howard Community College, where I began attending at the age of 16, I often took the bus to campus because I couldn't afford a car," said Kaur. "That same bus route stopped at the Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center, where I volunteered and shadowed physicians, and I often shared rides with patients who were struggling."

Kaur explained that she could see the exhaustion on their faces and the quiet misery of those who needed care. "I would reflect on those moments as I walked to class," said Kaur. "Those commutes became more than just transportation; they offered me lessons in empathy and served as a reminder of the inequities in healthcare, shaping both my resilience and my commitment to serve the underserved."

These experiences became the fuel that propelled Kaur as part of the JumpStart Dual Enrollment program, a partnership between HCC and the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) designed for high school students interested in dually enrolling in college courses at HCC. With flexible program offerings, JumpStart enables HCPSS students to explore careers and interests, gain exposure to college-level coursework, and enhance their college success. JumpStart Dual Enrollment courses are guaranteed college-credit courses that result in a college transcript.

While at HCC, Kaur was also a member of the Pre-Med and Allied Health Club, the South Asian Student Union (SASU), and the Student Government Association (SGA). She completed a biomarker research project at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory and worked on a case study at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Inspired by her grandfather's brain injury and stroke, as well as her first EMT experience witnessing two tragic deaths, Kaur's goal is to become a neurologist or psychiatrist.

"I am working on a bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience, one of the most rigorous majors at Nova Southeastern University, while also completing a biology minor," said Kaur. "My academic foundation has been strengthened by research experiences and clinical training that have prepared me for the challenges of medical school."

Listen as Kaur discusses how perseverance and service have shaped her path on an episode of Dragon Talk: Howard Community College Student Success Stories.