Education

MD (expected 2011), University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL

-Member of the American Medical Association, Chicago Medical Society,
Illinois State Medical Society and the American Society for Clinical Pathology
-UIC Craig Research Fellowship Recipient (Summer 2008)

Bachelor of Arts in Biological Chemistry with honors and
Art History with honors, Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA

-Member of the Grinnell College Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa
-Member of the Grinnell College Chapter of Mortar Board
-Dean’s List - Fall 2002, Fall 2003, Spring 2005, Spring 2006
-Trustee Honor Scholarship - Fall 2002- Spring 2006

Research Experience

Research Assistant, University of Illinois in Chicago, Department of Neurology. (Supervisor: Deborah Little, PhD; Summer 2008 to Present)

Research Assistant, University of Illinois in Chicago, Department of Neurosurgery. (Supervisor: Ali Alaraj, MD; Fall 2007 to Fall 2008)

Research Assistant, Independent Mentored Advanced Project, Department of Biology, Grinnell College, "Further study of 2-arachidonoylglycerol, a ligand of the CB1 receptor at the lizard neuromuscular junction" (Supervisor: Dr. Clark A. Lindgren; Fall 2005)

Research Assistant, Independent Mentored Advanced Project, Department of Biology, Grinnell College, "2-arachidonoylglycerol is a ligand of the CB1 receptor at the lizard neuromuscular junction" (Supervisor: Dr. Clark A. Lindgren; Summer 2005)

Publications and Professional Presentations

Chris D. Ochoa and Deborah Little, PhD (2009). Prototype-distortion learning: A better understanding of the substrates of learning acquisition. University of Illinois Research Forum, Chicago, IL. Link

Zachary Newman, Priya Malik, Tse-Yu Wu, Christopher Ochoa, Nyantara Watsa, Clark Lindgren. (2007). Endocannabinoids mediate muscarine-induced synaptic depression at the vertebrate neuromuscular junction. European Journal of Neuroscience 25 (6), 1619-1630 Link

Chris D. Ochoa (2006). 2-arachidonoylglycerol is a ligand of the CB1 receptor at the lizard neuromuscular junction. Presentation given to the Grinnell Science Division.

Clark A. Lindgren, P. Malik, L. Dobbs, T. Wu, C. Ochoa, N. Watsa, and Z. Newman. (2005). Endocannabinoids mediate muscarine-Induced synaptic depression at the vertebrate neuromuscular junction. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Washington DC. Link

Grinnell College Senior Art Show, Bucksbaum Center for the Arts, Grinnell College, 2006.

Additional Skills and Experience

Computer Skills: Adobe Photoshop, Macromedia Dreamweaver, Microsoft Office, (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Access)

Work Experience

American Medical Association (June 2006 -June 2007)
-Internship and work experience in the continuing physician's professional development department
-Maintained and Updated the National Disaster Life Support program participant database

LaGrange Area Department of Special Education Extended School Year summer program
(Summer 2003, Summer 2004)
- Teacher's Assistant

The Women's Group of Northwestern Obstetrics and Gynecology (Summer 2002)
- Office Clerk

Community Service

Mortar Board National Honor Society (Fall 2005-Spring 2006)
- Membership Chairperson
- Participated in fundraising for the annual Giving Tree program that provides Christmas gifts for families in the Grinnell area
- Raised funds and collected school supplies for the Hurricane Katrina victims
- Lead a fundraising effort for the Zwelenqaba school in South Africa

Extracurricular Activities

UIC Tomorrow's Physician Mentors
-Program coordinator (Spring 2008-present)

Chicago Medical Student Council
-Vice President (Spring 2008-present)
-Voting representative of the UIC COM Curriculum Committee (Fall 2007-present)
-CMSC Web Team (Fall 2008-present)

Society for Prospective Surgeons member
-Webmaster (Fall 2007-Spring 2008) link

UIC First Year Orientation Planning Committee
-Student-to-Student Guide Editor (Summer 2008-present) link

Student Government Association
- Vice President/President of Academic Affairs (Fall 2005-Spring 2006)
- Chair of the Student Curriculum Committee (Fall 2005-Spring 2006)
- Senator (Fall 2003, Spring 2003, Spring 2005)

Student Judicial Council leader (Fall 2005-Spring 2006)
- Appointed 8 members to serve on the Student Judicial Council
- Served as the leader and Student Government observer

Student Self-Governance (Fall 2003-Spring 2006)
- Co-creator and leader of facilitated discussions about Self-Governance,
Grinnell's residential life philosophy, for incoming freshmen
- Served as chair of the Committee on Self-Governance

Amateur Musician
- Played guitar for two bands on campus and preformed in many campus shows
as well as opened for hired musical acts on campus