Discovering His Greatness: How Catholic Health Helped Shape Zachary Stein’s Future in Medicine

When Zachary Stein reflects on the path that led him to studying biomedical engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, pursuing pre-med coursework and dreaming of one day becoming a physician-scientist, he can trace much of that journey back to a single opportunity through Catholic Health and Good Samaritan University Hospital.

What began as a high school enrichment program became a life-changing experience, introducing Zachary to inspiring mentors, cutting-edge medicine and a calling that continues to shape his future.

“I credit the professionals at Good Samaritan for getting me to this point,” Zachary said. “They helped inspire me to realize that pursuing a career in health care is what I was meant to do.”

As a student at St. John the Baptist High School, located next door to Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip, Zachary joined Catholic Health’s Medical Science Institute (MSI), formerly known as WeCare. The program gives students unprecedented exposure to health care careers through lectures led by physicians and advanced practice professionals, followed by hands-on shadowing opportunities throughout the hospital.

For Zachary, the experience opened an entirely new world.

“Every week was a different specialty,” he recalled. “We spent time in radiology, cardiology, emergency medicine, surgical intensive care and more. As a high school student, being able to see health care up close and learn directly from these professionals was incredible.”

The opportunity came at a pivotal time in his life.

Several years earlier, two of Zachary’s cousins faced serious neurological illnesses. One survived emergency brain surgeries following a rare COVID-related complication, while another was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Watching his family navigate those challenges sparked a deep interest in medicine and neuroscience.

The MSI program allowed Zachary to witness health care from the clinical perspective rather than simply observing as a family member.

That interest led him to ask a specific question.

Could he shadow a neurosurgeon?

Thanks to the support of MSI Program Coordinator Brittany Colasanto, the answer was yes.

Soon after completing the program, Zachary had the opportunity to shadow the neurointerventional team at Good Samaritan.

“That experience really changed everything for me,” Zachary said. “I saw how these professionals handled incredibly complex cases with such grace, humility and confidence. They were amazing teachers, but what stood out most was how much they cared.”

He remembers being struck not only by the technical skill of the team, but also by the way they invested in him personally.

“They took the time to learn about my goals and aspirations,” he said. “They treated me as more than just an observer. They genuinely cared about helping me grow.”

The mentorship Zachary found through Catholic Health did not end after high school.

As a college student, he has continued returning to Good Samaritan for additional shadowing experiences. This past summer, he spent time with orthopedic surgeon Dr. Christopher Larson and interventional cardiologist Dr. Giorgio Madranda, both of whom helped complement his growing engineering knowledge with real-world patient care.

Today, Zachary is a second-year biomedical engineering student at RPI, where he volunteers in the local emergency department, serves with the campus ambulance service and participates in research focused on artificial intelligence applications in medicine.

His long-term goal is to pursue an MD-PhD and become a physician-scientist, combining patient care with research aimed at developing new technologies and treatments.

It's an ambitious path, but one he feels prepared for thanks to the foundation built through Catholic Health.

“Those experiences showed me what was possible,” he said. “They helped me understand not just what health care professionals do, but why they do it.”

Looking back, Zachary sees the MSI program as far more than an educational opportunity. He sees it as the catalyst that helped him discover his purpose.

“The program really personified that idea,” he said. “It encouraged me to pursue medicine, to pursue service and to find my passion. These are opportunities that very few people get, and they truly changed my life.”

As he continues his journey toward becoming a physician-scientist, Zachary remains grateful for the mentors who guided him along the way and hopeful that one day he may return to the place where it all began.

“Maybe I'll work at Good Samaritan one day,” he said with a smile. “Who knows?”