Showgirl, Med Student: TCU Alumna Choreographs Her Dreams
What does a TCU medical student, a TCU biology magna cum laude alumna, and a TCU Showgirl have in common? Extreme discipline. As medical students, discipline is likely a common trait, but most aren’t also preparing choreography.
Tatum Hall ’25 has spent years chasing two seemingly different dreams with the same determination: becoming a physician and becoming a dancer. She is doing just that. The Louise Dilworth Davis College of Science & Engineering graduate is now a student at the Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at TCU and returned to TCU Athletics this semester as an assistant coach of the TCU Showgirls.
People assume science and dance live in separate worlds. For Hall, they’ve always gone together. Even in her decision to study at Texas Christian University, she was looking for a strong science program and a dance program.
“I obviously loved the iconic TCU Showgirls, and I knew TCU had a good science program,” Hall said. “I knew this was the perfect place for me to be.”
The Perfect Place
While pursuing a demanding pre-med program as an undergraduate, Hall refused to give up the dance career she had envisioned since childhood. But Hall quickly found more than a dance team when she joined Showgirls. Older teammates helped prepare freshmen for everything from game days to college life. The program’s mentorship left a lasting impression on Hall. By her senior year, she had become a captain herself, mentoring younger dancers through the same transitions she experienced as a first-year student.
She enjoyed the mentoring spirit in Davis College, as well, citing smaller class sizes allowing her to build relationships with professors like Matt Chumchal, biology professor and director of the TCU Pre-Health Professions Institute.
“Dr. Chumchal was especially helpful in preparing me for interviews and was incredibly encouraging and supportive throughout my application journey,” Hall said.
On her way to medical school, Hall went on to pursue another lifelong dream, trying out for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. She trained constantly, went through a prep program, and made training camp on her first audition.
From there, she appeared on Netflix’s American’s Sweethearts, chronicling the journey. Every night of training camp brought the possibility of being cut. Hall says learning to perform under that kind of pressure changed her perspective.
“The level of course rigor at TCU really prepared me for the fast pace of medical school,” Hall said. “Having a challenging undergraduate curriculum made the transition to medical school feel much more manageable.”
A Matter of Trust
While years of studying, rehearsals and performances taught her discipline, they also strengthened her ability to connect with people. As a Showgirl, Hall spent countless Saturdays interacting with fans and young dancers who looked up to her. Those experiences taught her the value of communication and trust – qualities she hopes to carry into patient care as she trains under the TCU’s Empathetic Scholar® curriculum.
“You want your patients to trust you, and you want to build a relationship,” Hall said. "I think because I have that experience with dance, I’ll be able to translate into practice.”
Hall says she’s already drawing on lessons learned long before labs and courses. Dance taught her how to remain composed in high-pressure moments, work as part of a team, and communicate with people from all walks of life. As she begins her medical training, those skills are proving just as valuable as the science she studies.
Back on the Field
This fall, Hall is balancing anatomy labs with practices as she coaches the next generation of dancers pursuing their own ambitions, all while beginning the journey toward becoming the physician she’s dreamed of being since childhood.
“I'm really excited to just be able to give back to a program that I felt like gave me so much,” Hall said.
The schedule is demanding, but balancing priorities is nothing new for Hall. Years of navigating rehearsals with science labs prepared her for exactly this moment.
