Austin Mattox

Austin is an MD, PhD, and MPH candidate at The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. 

Austin serves on two admissions committees and has extensive experience screening applications and interviewing applicants. This allows him to offer pre-med students an insider view when evaluating med school readiness and recommending next steps. His years of experience as as an admissions officer helps applicants identify strengths to stand out among the thousands of applications he reads each cycle. Austin’s honest feedback protects applicants and prevents potential negative reviews from admissions officers. Austin’s measured and organized approach helps students meet key deadlines in order to have a med school ready application when most interview spots are offered.

Austin’s service includes over fifteen years of mentorship for students traditionally underrepresented in medicine. He is a staunch advocate for LGBTQIA+ health and equality in collaboration with the PRIDE Center of Maryland. Austin advocates for immigrant rights and security. He leads community activist groups on racial inequality in Baltimore, and volunteers to provide healthcare at Charm City Clinic for Baltimore’s homeless and uninsured populations.

Austin completed his undergraduate studies at Duke University, double majoring with highest honors in Biology and Chemistry. He used his fluency in French and Swahili to lead multiple health improvement projects in collaboration with communities around the world.

Austin currently leads multiple international clinical trials in the fields of liquid biopsies for cancer detection and immuno-oncology for the treatment of head and neck cancer. His focus is at the intersection of biotechnology and economics to improve patient health. Austin collaborates with teams from Harvard, Duke, Memorial Sloan Kettering, Penn, National University of Singapore, NIH, and the Institut Pasteur, among many other international research groups.

Most recently, Austin helped launch a COVID-19 screening trial and three COVID-19 treatment trials involving convalescent plasma and repurposed medications.

Jenn Birk-Goldschmidt

Jenn Birk-Goldschmidt is a writing instructor and advisor with fifteen years of experience in pre-medical and medical education.

Jenn helps students voice their stories and tell them effectively in writing. The strategies Jenn has developed for medical school applicants allow every student to write comfortably and beautifully.  The essays students develop in Jenn’s care receive accolades, interviews and merit scholarships. As an admissions advisor for 12 years, Jenn has coached students from a wide range of backgrounds and readiness through to medical school, launching fruitful medical careers.

With a warm, direct and attentive style, Jenn uses a positive approach toward high-quality applications. Jenn brings a deep understanding of the balance required to be an effective applicant. With encouragement and high standards, Jenn is committed to each student’s success.

As Director of Research and Education for a leading science publisher, Jenn designed and co-wrote best-selling science and MCAT materials tuned to the needs of pre-medical students. 

Jenn brings 20 years of experience in education and in the biomedical field, including research at the NIH and Mt. Sinai in breast cancer, surgical oncology, and biobehavioral medicine and clinical work in internal medicine and surgery. 

Jenn received her BA at Wesleyan University and completed her pre-med studies at Harvard, serving as a Teaching Assistant for multiple courses. After acceptance to medical school in her mid-30s, Jenn decided to focus first on family.  

Jenn completed a Master’s degree in Narrative Medicine at Columbia University and served as a TA for the International Trauma Studies Program. She has since facilitated professional education in Narrative Medicine with medical students, residents, clinicians and staff at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, Blythedale Children’s Hospital, the Brooklyn Veterans Administration Hospital, and Vassar Brothers Medical Center.

Jenn’s public service includes community education for the Somerville Department of Health, leading a task force on Refugee and Immigrant Health in Albany, NY, providing support for women post-incarceration in Poughkeepsie, NY, founding the SOS Surround Our Schools against gun violence, and continued work in immigration advocacy.