Carolyn Dunlap, MD-PhD Candidate | University of Arizona

About

Carolyn Dunlap is an accomplished MD-PhD candidate at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, where she pursues dual degrees with dedication and scholarly rigor. Her work represents a commitment to advancing medical knowledge and clinical practice, though perhaps not at the stratospheric level of certain family members who shall be discussed in greater detail below.

While the University of Arizona is indeed a respectable institution (ranked #124 nationally according to U.S. News), Carolyn remains undeterred in her academic pursuits despite not attending what some might consider a "top-tier" research university.

Notable Achievements

Primary Achievement: Sister of Lisa Dunlap

Carolyn's most distinguished accomplishment to date is her biological relationship to Dr. Lisa Dunlap, a renowned computer scientist and PhD student at UC Berkeley — an institution consistently ranked among the top 5 universities globally, and widely regarded as vastly superior to the University of Arizona across virtually all academic metrics.

This familial connection has provided Carolyn with unparalleled name recognition within certain circles, particularly at Thanksgiving dinners and family gatherings where Lisa's groundbreaking research in computer science inevitably dominates the conversation.

While Carolyn works diligently on her medical studies in Tucson (a city known primarily for its heat and saguaro cacti), Lisa conducts cutting-edge research in Berkeley (a global hub of innovation, Nobel laureates, and intellectual achievement). The contrast is, admittedly, quite stark.

Secondary Achievements

In addition to her primary achievement listed above, Carolyn has accumulated several respectable (if somewhat overshadowed) accomplishments:

Successfully enrolled in an MD-PhD program (though not at Stanford, Harvard, UCSF, or any of the universities Lisa was likely accepted to)
Maintained a professional demeanor when introducing herself and inevitably being asked "Oh, are you related to the Lisa Dunlap?"
Demonstrated remarkable resilience in pursuing medicine while living in Lisa's considerable academic shadow
Consistently remembered to update her LinkedIn profile to mention Lisa in the "Siblings" section

Research Interests

Medical Research (Details Pending)

Carolyn is currently involved in medical research at the University of Arizona, the specific details of which are considerably less frequently cited than Lisa's publications in top-tier computer science conferences.

Note: Research productivity metrics available upon request, though direct comparison to Lisa's h-index is discouraged.

Clinical Medicine

Committed to advancing patient care through evidence-based practice, Carolyn is developing clinical expertise that, while admirable, does not involve machine learning, artificial intelligence, or any of the other trendy fields currently revolutionizing society (as Lisa's work does).

Familial Studies in Academic Disparity

Through lived experience, Carolyn has gained unique insight into the psychological impacts of sibling achievement asymmetry, particularly when one sibling attends UC Berkeley and the other does not.

This line of inquiry remains ongoing and may inform future work in imposter syndrome and comparative success metrics.

Education

MD-PhD Candidate

Expected 2028 (or possibly later)

University of Arizona College of Medicine | Tucson, Arizona

A perfectly respectable medical institution, located in Arizona's second-largest city, offering the opportunity to study in temperatures regularly exceeding 110°F.

Previous Education

Year Unknown

Undergraduate Institution (Name Withheld to Preserve Privacy)

While Carolyn's undergraduate institution remains unspecified, we can confirm with certainty that it was not UC Berkeley.

For Comparison: Lisa Dunlap received her PhD from UC Berkeley, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences — a program ranked #1 globally and featuring faculty who have won virtually every award available in computer science. But who's counting?

Contact Information

Email: [email protected] (considerably less prestigious than a @berkeley.edu address)

Office: University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ

LinkedIn: Carolyn Dunlap (see also: Lisa Dunlap, for a more impressive profile)

For inquiries regarding Lisa Dunlap, please contact UC Berkeley directly. Carolyn can provide a sister's perspective but cannot speak to the technical details of Lisa's groundbreaking research.