Christopher LaBudde – $12,000 Scholarship Recipient

His Story

Christopher grew up in Hamilton, attended Hamilton Wenham High School, and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a 3.9 GPA, and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Tufts University. Christopher currently attends Tufts Medical School and plans to graduate in May 2026.

While an undergraduate at Tufts, Christopher was a Pre-Med Society Mentor, Emergency Medical Technician and a Disaster Relief Volunteer during Covid. Additionally, he headed Tufts Best Buddies for the intellectual and Developmentally Delayed. At Medical School, Christopher founded the Tufts Medical School Adaptive Sports program, matching Medical Student volunteers with adaptive (physically or developmentally) track and hockey participants.

Christopher was originally inspired to pursue a medical degree by his younger brother Timothy, who has downs syndrome and is also on the autism spectrum. Then, while in high school, his father was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and spent a lot of time in hospitals. Consequently, Christopher saw first-hand the positive impact physicians have on their patients. Despite the difficult circumstances at the time, he recognized this remarkable environment was the one for him.

His current areas of interest are oncology, pediatrics and orthopedics. The common thread between these specialties being the longitudinal relationship with patients. After a close aunt was diagnosed with cancer, she told him how empathetic providers make the world of difference to their patients. She shared how her physician spending extensive time with her and answering all her questions quelled her anxiety.

Christopher aspires to build those same strong doctor-patient relationships himself. Christopher said that “Regardless, of specialty choice, cancer will definitely be incorporated into my education and future through the interdisciplinary nature of cancer and cancer prevention. And as a physician I will do my best to be an educator and advocate in my community, because beating cancer takes everyone”.