“Throughout college I spent my summers volunteering at Nemours Hospital and since then, I always dreamed of working there as a physician.”

This dream is now a reality for Grayton Downing ’14 as she recently matched with Nemours Children’s Hospital and is currently in her first-year working as a General Pediatrics Resident! Grayton, who always knew that she wanted to pursue a career in medicine and spent her senior exploration at WFS shadowing local doctors, is most inspired by the patients themselves. She states, “I absolutely adore working with pediatric patients because they are some of the most inspiring patients. Despite being sick in the hospital, they never fail to bring a smile to my face and they light up the whole hospital. I also love pediatrics because we really focus on treating the whole family. At Nemours we make sure siblings, parents, and relatives all feel like they are a part of the medical team.”

A proud graduate of Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University (with Alpha Omega Alpha honors), Grayton spent her undergraduate career at Haverford College where she majored in Biology and minored in  Psychology. Outside of the classroom, she was a member of the women’s lacrosse team. During her career, she started 31 games for the Black Squirrels, was a two-year member of the Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll, and was a member of the IWLCA Division III Academic Honor Roll in 2017.

Prior to her time on Lancaster Avenue, Grayton was a member of the WFS community. An IB student at WFS, she also made her presence felt on the athletic fields as she earned All-Conference honors in both field hockey and lacrosse. When asked to reflect on her Friends experience, Grayton is thankful for a variety of reasons. She notes, “WFS not only prepared me academically for college, but they helped me learn how to think critically and taught me how to search for answers and ask for help when needed. I love how WFS fosters a collaborative learning environment between students and teachers, this is something I took with me to college!”

Her advice to the Class of 2023 as they embark on the college process? “When preparing for college, trust your gut and your friends and family around you. You are beyond prepared for college after coming from WFS and wherever you chose to go next will set you up for the future you want as long as you continue to stay motivated.”

Great work, Grayton!