Anyone who believes art and science are separate disciplines may reconsider after learning about Grace Chaffins, a senior at Florida International University (FIU). Chaffins, a soprano who auditioned for FIU’s music school before her freshman year, has balanced her passion for opera with an increasing interest in medicine.
While studying vocal performance—memorizing arias and singing in multiple languages—Chaffins also pursued coursework that would prepare her for medical school. She will graduate in the spring from the Wertheim School of Music, the Honors College, and the College of Arts, Sciences & Education. Chaffins has been accepted to several medical schools and plans to begin her studies in fall 2026.
Chaffins grew up immersed in reading, storytelling, and attending musical performances. She took voice lessons and sang in choirs as a child but developed a strong interest in anatomy and science during high school. “Sometimes they’re viewed in two different spheres,” she said about art and science. “I don’t really view it that way. Art is all about encapsulating what it means to be a human being, and I think medicine is exactly the same thing. The heart of medicine is communication and really understanding people’s stories and where they come from and meeting them where they are at.”
Arriving at FIU with an associate degree from Miami Dade College through dual enrollment helped Chaffins complete some prerequisites early on. However, she still needed careful planning to fulfill the requirements of three programs: music, natural and applied sciences (which she added after her sophomore year), and the Honors College.
Her pre-med track required additional commitments outside of classwork, including months of preparation for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and hundreds of hours of voluntary clinical experience through hospice visits—a commitment she continues today. Alongside these responsibilities, Chaffins worked part-time jobs, including paid singing engagements.
Reflecting on her academic journey as graduation approaches, Chaffins said, “Music, honestly, was the harder major. It was so intense just because of the amount of classes we have to take.” She explained that ensembles such as opera and choir each required six hours per week but only counted as one credit each.
Chaffins credits much of her success to support from peers within FIU’s tight-knit vocal performance community. “I was very grateful to have had a lot of people who were really supportive, not only just academically… but also emotionally,” she said.
Associate Professor Robert Dundas described Chaffins as “an amazing student” with strong writing skills and a beautiful voice. He added: “She holds herself very professionally in every situation. She’s always very attentive and very focused. She’s exemplary in many, many ways.”
As she prepares for graduation, Chaffins looks forward to completing her final music course on vocal pedagogy—which will explore vocal cord anatomy—and hopes to specialize in pediatrics or ear, nose, and throat medicine while maintaining music as part of her life.
Reflecting on her time at FIU, Chaffins said: “It’s really a testament to FIU. You can really do anything here, combine all of your interests. You don’t have to be stuck in a box.”
