"My mentor early on, the Italian doctor, he showed me how to be truly a compassionate physician. I remember he used to spend so much time with the patients talking to them, not only about their disease, but just getting to know them." Ludovica grew up in Italy until the time she was 12 years old. She recalls her uncle, a traveling doctor who would go to small villages to visit patients in their homes. She says that it was his influence that began her love of medicine. Today we discuss moving to the U.S. before learning English, the difference between Italian medicine and America medicine, research experiences, the power of mentorship, and finally, preparing to apply to medical school.