Kerrington Peasak
“The IMMB program has helped prepare me for medical school due to the course material, laboratory experience and time management.”
For many students, choosing the right undergraduate path for their future career in medicine can be overwhelming. For Kerrington Peasak, the answer came through a program that combined hands-on laboratory experiences and meaningful mentorship.
This May, Peasak will graduate from the West Virginia University School of Medicine's Immunology and Medical Microbiology program, and she’s one step closer to her dream of becoming a physician. She was accepted through early decision into the WVU M.D. program, and she will begin medical school this summer.
The WVU Immunology and Medical Microbiology program provides a strong foundation for postgraduate study and careers in healthcare and research. Graduates pursue medical, dental, veterinary, physician assistant and graduate programs, while others enter fields such as biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and public health. Of the 13 IMMB students graduating this spring, seven have already been accepted into MD, DO or dental school programs.
For Peasak, a Morgantown native, the program stood out early in her college search.
“I knew I wanted to go to medical school, and I felt that the rigor and course content of the IMMB program would help prepare me for that,” Peasak said. “I also liked the small class size aspect because this would allow me to build close relationships with my professors and offer research opportunities.”
While medical school had always been part of Peasak’s plan, her time at WVU reinforced her decision to pursue medicine. Through the IMMB program’s curriculum, hands-on laboratory experiences and research opportunities, she not only felt well prepared for medical school, but also gained an even deeper passion for the field.
“The IMMB program has helped prepare me for medical school due to the course material, laboratory experience and time management,” she said. “Immunology and microbiology are both core subjects in medical school, and the laboratory experience we gain during class is reflective of the microbiology labs in medical school.”
Peasak has had multiple opportunities outside of the classroom to expand her research experience. She volunteered in the Vaccine Development Center, specifically in the lab of Mariette Barbier, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cell Biology. There, she assisted graduate students with projects involving Bordetella pertussis, the bacterium responsible for whooping cough, and Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease.
“My experience in class labs and the research lab has helped prepare me for medical school by expanding my knowledge on different pathogens, diseases, laboratory techniques and diagnostic tests,” she said. “The lab experience combined with course material in IMMB will also help me to critically think and utilize scientifically backed information to evaluate and treat patients.”
During her time at the School of Medicine, Peasak also made sure to get involved outside of the classroom.
She served as president of WVU Student Branch of the American Society for Microbiology, where she coordinated monthly lecture series featuring graduate programs and healthcare professionals. The club also participates in scientific outreach events, recruitment activities and community service initiatives throughout the state.
She was also a member of the Pre-Med Club and served as a student ambassador for the School of Medicine. In addition, she volunteered at the WVU Medicine Golisano Children’s Hospital in the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Clinic and Surgical Services, as well as at the WVU Medicine Betty Puskar Breast Care Center.
Peasak said one of the most meaningful parts of her undergraduate experience has been the relationships she built within the IMMB program.
“My favorite part of the IMMB program is the lasting relationships I have been able to build with my professors and classmates,” she said. “The friendships I have built with my classmates have truly made my college experience so enjoyable, and I am very grateful to have made these lifelong connections.”
Looking to the future, Peasak is excited to continue her education at WVU and hopes to eventually practice medicine in the state she calls home.
“I hope to accomplish becoming a physician who provides patient-centered and compassionate healthcare,” Peasak said. “Ultimately, I want to give back to the people and state of West Virginia as they have given me so much.”
Learn more about the WVU Immunology and Medical Microbiology program at medicine.wvu.edu/immunology-and-medical-microbiology/ or explore associated career pathways at go.health.wvu.edu/pre-health.
po/05/12/2026
CONTACT: Ally Kennedy
Senior Communications Specialist
WVU School of Medicine and Health Sciences
allyson.kennedy1@wvumedicine.org