“I was drawn to healthcare for the positive impact you can have on other people’s lives,” she said, and during that summer, “I fell in love with the collaborative environment that I was a part of, and it cemented my decision to pursue medicine.”

That pursuit is not only still going strong but has earned Gluck some hard-won recognition. The biology major was named 2024 valedictorian of Touro’s Lander College for Women (LCW).

“Choosing a valedictorian can be difficult; choosing Bracha Gluck was easy.  She is an excellent student who brings both her intellectual curiosity and profound desire to understand the world to her pursuit of science.  She is also eager to improve the lives of others – spearheading the Pre-Health science club and the Blood Drive. It is that duality of pursuit of excellence coupled with a fundamental concern for other people that will make Bracha Gluck an outstanding medical student and physician,” said Dr. Marian Stoltz-Loike, LCW dean and Vice President for Online Education at Touro University.

An animal lover who enjoys cooking and baking, Gluck attended Bruriah High School in Elizabeth, New Jersey. It was in her senior year there that she applied and was accepted to Touro’s Medical Honors Pathway program, a program that provides a direct pathway from high school to medical school for qualified students. She then spent a year in seminary at the Michlalah college in Jerusalem before coming to LCW to continue her academic journey.

Gluck currently works as a part-time medical assistant at ODA Women’s Center in Brooklyn: she triages patients through taking their vitals, draws blood, and many other duties that assist the doctors in minimally invasive procedures.

“I chose Touro because it is the perfect blend of academia and spirituality that allows me to be a competitive student without compromising any of my values,” she said.

Her most favorite college experience was the opportunity to take part in Touro’s bioethics trip to Thailand, where she was able to see and experience firsthand how cultural differences influence healthcare.

After graduation, Gluck will start a new position as a part-time research assistant in the cardiothoracic department at New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. Excited to begin Touro’s New York Medical College, she hasn’t yet decided which field to specialize in, but whatever it is, “I hope to make an impact not only in the world of medicine, but also within the Jewish community by giving back with my new profession.”