Pomerantz Leans on Past to Set Ground Work for Future

The motivation underlying the success Alex Pomerantz has enjoyed as a student-athlete at Carnegie Mellon University comes from his passion for the intersection of public policy and healthcare. A biological sciences and international relations and politics double major, Pomerantz plans to attend medical school next fall and hopes to work as both a clinician and researcher.

Community improvement is an interest that Pomerantz leans on frequently and it has been the backbone to his studies and internships while a student at Carnegie Mellon.

This past summer, Pomerantz followed his passion for public policy to an internship with the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) while he continued his research in Dr. Nduka Amankulor's immunology lab at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) for the second year.

"I was drawn to Dr. Amankulor's lab because I wanted to learn more about brain cancer after my aunt passed away from it," said Pomerantz. "I was lucky to find Dr. Amankulor. With the support of Dr. Amankulor and his lab member's Dr. Rao, Dr. Zhang, and Jason Kim, I was able to have my first publication. Working in his lab has fostered my interest in academic medicine and helped develop my critical thinking skills."

At ACHD, Pomerantz worked with policy makers and physicians and those who have crossed the line between the two while he worked on Pennsylvania's Medical Marijuana Act which was signed a few weeks before he started.

"I helped prepare a brief and epidemiological analysis by examining what different states are doing. In particular, I researched the cost of medical marijuana to patients, zoning ordinances in the city, and cartel production and its effects on other drug availabilities," said Pomerantz. "Being on the cutting edge of policy was exciting and enabled me to put my academic health policy research into practice."

Pomerantz is a native of Warren, New Jersey, where students are passionate about the next stage of life and getting into top-notch universities. He also frequented his mother's hometown of Wildwood, New Jersey, and saw the contrasting differences of a seasonal town that struggled to maintain a positive socioeconomic status.

Because of this, he is driven to impact communities, seeing the effects policy can have on an environment. However, Pomerantz wasn't always enthusiastic about school or what education could provide. It was only after developing relationships with his high school golf coach and a SAT tutor who nurtured his path and opened his eyes to what his future could hold that he evolved into a near straight-A student.

"My golf coach really fostered my passion for the game, forced me to think about my future and not the circumstances behind my failure to be in school," said Pomerantz, who admitted his attendance in school wasn't great during his freshman and sophomore years of high school. "My SAT tutor, a friend of my mom's, stepped into my life and empowered me to become the student I always wanted to be."

Pomerantz, now a coach with The First Tee, has used that defining moment in his life to mentor Pittsburgh's youth.

"The First Tee is a subsidized, non-profit organization that helps youth, many less fortunate than I was, get exposure to life lessons through golf," said Pomerantz. "The experience thus far has been wonderful. Being able to show students what it's like if they use the game to better their future has been incredible. Almost brings it full circle for me."

Pomerantz has galvanized his teammates into believing they can make a difference in the lives of others through the game of golf and, together with his teammates, Pomerantz helped organize The First Tee of Pittsburgh's fall invitational played at the Bob O'Connor Golf Course next to campus.

"It's a natural partnership for us and a truly impactful experience for all involved," said Pomerantz. "We plan to have a more sustained role with the organization and will once again assist with Special Olympics in April when the Western Spring Sectional returns to Pittsburgh for the second year."