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Dr. Christie Savas, PB'17
Dr. Christie Savas
Dr. Christie Savas is one of many career changers who completed Agnes Scott College’s Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Medical certificate program. The pivot is marked by a greater desire to honor one’s passions and create an impact on others.
Dr. Savas originally studied business at the Georgia Institute of Technology. After a three-year consulting career, she realized she wanted a pivot - a career move that would welcome her back to her love for the sciences and caring for people.
Dr. Christie Savas practicing medicine
“I was always drawn to the healthcare space. I just didn’t know what it was specifically that I wanted to do.”
Christie Savas
Savas realized that her career in business had limits. She yearned for a more impactful career, one that didn’t just feel corporate but felt meaningful and had a greater sense of community. That’s where Agnes Scott College entered Savas’ story. She mentioned her new dream to a friend attending Mercer University School of Medicine at the time, and there were other people in her class who had completed Agnes Scott’s Post-Bacc Pre-Medical program.
“I told her I wished I had done pre-med so I could apply to medical school, and she said, ‘Wait, there’s a way. There’s this program at Agnes Scott,” Dr. Savas remembers.
“When I learned about Agnes Scott’s program, I thought, 'Oh my gosh, this could actually make it possible.” I hadn’t realized that going back to medical school after a business degree and three years in consulting was even possible.”
What once was a thought about changing careers became a reality through in-person instruction at Agnes. Part of that new experience was Professor Higley Summey’s instrumental leadership in the classroom.
Dr. Christie Savas and Professor Higley Summey
“The way that she taught science made it feel logical and doable. She made it feel simple. Starting the program with her that summer and having her for the rest of the chemistry classes was probably instrumental in my confidence,” Dr. Savas says. “I don’t know if I would have been as successful getting to where I am now without building that confidence at Agnes Scott.”
After one year of comprehensive pre-medical studies, academic advising, and community support, Savas completed the post-bacc program in 2017. She went on to attend Mercer University’s School of Medicine and her residency at Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, Georgia to start her career as a primary care physician, a pathway she once only dreamed about.
Dr. Christie Savas and her husband
“I primarily take care of homeless, uninsured, and underserved patients who can't really get their care in other places.” While practicing internal medicine, Dr. Savas is clear about her definition of giving back to the community and the meaning of service.
“Even if I'm just helping one person a day feel better or feel like they belong somewhere, that’s meaningful. I just want to make sure that in my lifetime I’m useful to someone.”
While she’s not practicing medicine, she is enjoying her family — a husband and two small boys, a three-year-old and a five-month-old.
“They're my largest joy in life. Medicine is probably number two.”
Are you a career-changer with a dream to become a doctor, PA, dentist, or vet? Consider Agnes Scott College to help you realize this dream. Learn more about all of their post-bacc and graduate programs at agnesscott.edu/grad.
