Academic Enrichment

I interviewed a fourth year optometrist student preparing to graduate in May of 2018

 

Q: What inspired you to pursue optometry?

A: There are various reasons why I decided optometry was for me. For one thing, the hours of a 9 am -5 pm work day are really good, with no overnight work or on call shifts. The job is low risk, and thus requires relatively cheap malpractice insurance with low rates of lawsuits. The job requires 4 years beyond an undergrad degree with no residency, so I can enter the practice soon after graduation. I hoped to always have a work- life balance, and this job is great for family life. The possibility to work part time is a great option for when life happens. The job market is great and it is overall great to help give people the gift of sight!

 

Q: What was your most beneficial undergraduate course at OSU?

A: I believe the name of the course was something involving patient disparities, which was in the department of health sciences. It provided me a lot of relevant healthcare information, such as how the living conditions provided by the government is why the highest rate of diabetes is found in the African American population. The course really allowed me to look at situations in someone else’s shoes to prevent judgements and stereotyping in patients.

 

Q: What was the hardest adjustment from undergrad courses to grad school courses?

A: The time spent in class was overwhelming at first; for example, on Mondays alone there were eight hours of my day spent in class. Not only were class times long, yet the workload was intense and the amount of notes to study and keep up with was difficult.

 

Q: Would you change anything you did in undergrad?

A: I was not sure what I wanted to do when I first started my undergraduate career, and wished I would have been more proactive early on to discover my passion sooner. I eventually started working at Hands On Experience and realized working in healthcare was what I wanted to do. Things outside of the classroom are more important than what you learn in the classroom, so I wish I would have been involved with activities sooner.

 

Q: How did you cope with the financial expenses of graduate school?

A: I definitely learned how to budget very quickly. I had to plan what to spend money, how much money could be spent, and how I would manage my loans. You have to be willing to live like a student even a few years after graduation to ensure that the loans get paid off. If the debt were $50,000 more, I probably wouldn’t have chosen optometry school honestly. Definitely think about the money aspect and how you will be repaying loans when deciding how to spend your money.

 

Q: What has been the most rewarding experience in grad school?

A: I worked at the VA, which was great. I also worked for a place called Faith Mission where people with no insurance came in order to receive glasses that they had no other way of obtaining. There was one patient who wasn’t able to see well enough to the point where someone had to help her do daily tasks, so it was great to see how this organization really changed peoples lives.

Service

Throughout my past year at Ohio State, I have helped at the HSS pasta fundraiser for BuckeyeThon, participated in community commitment day, made friendship bracelets through Buckeyes for a Cause, and volunteered at the Martha Morehouse Pavilion, which is part of the Wexner Medical Center. I participated at the pasta fundraiser on January 19 in Stradley side kitchen for 3 hours. I participated in community commitment day on September 6 at the United Methodist Church, cleaning and organizing the church basement for 5 hours. I attended Buckeyes for a Cause multiple times for a total of 4 friendship bracelets, which equals four hours. I volunteer at the Martha Morehouse every Tuesday this spring semester from noon to three, yet also receive an hour for traveling the shuttle for a total of 48 hours this semester.

The most memorable experience out of these volunteer opportunities has been my time spent volunteering at Martha Morehouse. I am an internal escort, where I lead patients and transport patients in wheelchairs around the building to their destinations. This has been the most memorable because I have consistently volunteered there throughout the semester and have become familiar with the hospital and even recognize certain patients that come in every week. From this experience I have gained interactions with patients as well as experiencing the daily functioning of a hospital, which is where I aspire to work one day as a physician assistant.

Academic Enrichment

I interviewed Alana Winston, a fourth year at OSU, about her decision to become a physician assistant.

 

Q: Why did you choose to be a PA?

A: “Originally, I started my freshman year of college as a pre-mechanical engineering student. After about a year in the engineering program, I discovered that I absolutely hated it, and I knew I had to change my major before I was stuck in something that I was no good at. Except I had no idea what to change it too. My twin sister is a nursing student here at Ohio State, and she helped me explore the vast amount of options available in the field of medicine.  As a sophomore, I decided on optometry as my future career, even though I wasn’t very interested in the retail aspect of it. It wasn’t until I shadowed my current doctor of optometry that I realized a career in optometry wasn’t for me either. Then my grandma, who worked as a nurse for almost 50 years, suggested that I look at the PA career. After researching it, I finally felt like I had found the career for me. The 27-month graduate program vs. the 8 years of medical school was another plus for me.”

 

Q: What has been the most challenging part of preparing for this career; what has been the most fun part?

A: “The most challenging part for me so far has been bringing my GPA back up from where engineering tanked it. The minimum GPA for most graduate programs is a 3.0 but the average GPA of the incoming graduate class is typically around a 3.6. The most fun part has been taking classes in preparation for PA school because the material actually interests me unlike my previous engineering classes.”

 

Q: How have you been preparing?

A: “I switched my major to Biology to achieve the prerequisites necessary for PA school. I also talked to an advisor about the best way to prepare for graduate school, and I started volunteering at the hospital.”

 

Q: How many hours have you shadowed? Have you done any patient contact experience, and if so, what kind?

A: “I haven’t shadowed a PA yet but I will be doing so this summer. However, my volunteer experience at the hospital allowed me to observe PAs at work. To fulfill my patient care hours, I plan on getting my EMT license at Columbus State once I finish my undergraduate degree and working as an EMT while I apply to grad schools. That way, I can save up some money before continuing my education.”

 

Q: How did you approach a professor with the intent of receiving a recommendation letter from them?

A: “I actually have not yet talked to a professor about a recommendation letter because I don’t plan on applying to any graduate schools until 2019. Once I begin the application process, I intend to approach professors in classes that I liked and did well in. I plan on asking them at least 2 months before the recommendation letters are due.”

 

Q: What is any advice you wish someone would have told you early on in the application/ preparation process?

A: “I definitely would suggest shadowing a PA or finding some way to familiarize yourself with a hospital or medical environment early on. Volunteering also is a good option because it looks great on an application.”

G.O.A.L.S.

[ “G.O.A.L.S.” is a place where students write about how their planned, current, and future activities may fit into the Honors & Scholars G.O.A.L.S.: Global Awareness, Original Inquiry, Academic Enrichment, Leadership Development, and Service Engagement. For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.

Global Awareness: Students cultivate and develop their appreciation for diversity and each individual’s unique differences. For example, consider course work, study abroad, involvement in cultural organizations or activities, etc .
Original Inquiry: Honors & Scholars students understand the research process by engaging in experiences ranging from in-class scholarly endeavors to creative inquiry projects to independent experiences with top researchers across campus and in the global community. For example, consider research, creative productions or performances, advanced course work, etc.
Academic Enrichment: Honors & Scholars students pursue academic excellence through rigorous curricular experiences beyond the university norm both in and out of the classroom.
Leadership Development: Honors & Scholars students develop leadership skills that can be demonstrated in the classroom, in the community, in their co-curricular activities, and in their future roles in society.
Service Engagement: Honors & Scholars students commit to service to the community.]

Career

Coming into college, I knew I wanted to go into healthcare, but was unsure of what I wanted to major in. After meeting with various advisors, I have officially decided to major in microbiology. Because I have talked with various advisors and students in different majors, I feel confident in my decision to pursue this major. I plan to become a physician assistant, yet if this does not work out, I would like to become a college professor or become certified to work in a hospital lab. This seminar, along with my freshman survey, have introduced me to the various resources around campus that can help me get involved in research, internships, volunteer opportunities, and possible careers.

I plan to stay healthy while balancing my academics, extracurricular activities, and social life by taking care of my body physically and mentally. Eating the right foods and exercising daily can help me life a healthy lifestyle and de-stress. Taking time out of my day to socialize with others and relax can also help relieve the stress that college causes. Planning out my days and keeping a tight schedule can help me be consistent in these choices.

Becoming close with faculty members can be beneficial to me because they can be valid references for applying to various jobs, internships, and volunteer opportunities. Also, because I am considering a possible career in becoming a professor, getting personal insight from them can help guide me. Upperclassmen can give me relevant advice about life in college and how to manage time and take the correct steps to becoming a successful student. I would like to continue to grow here at Ohio State in my academics, in my independence, and in my relationships with my peers.

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My friends Emily and Erin at an Ohio State football game.

pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA is where I hope to live at and work in one day.

Service Project

For my second year Health Science Scholars service project, I volunteered at the Belmont Community Health Center in Bellaire, OH as a physical therapy aide. I started this project in May of 2017 and completed it in August 2017, totaling 61 hours of time. While there, I was responsible for stocking/ changing linens, disinfecting the gym equipment, preparing cold and hot packs, and organizing patient files. I was able to also directly observe the daily tasks of a physical therapist, allowing me to learn more about the profession. Though physical therapy has never been a career interest of mine, it was an experience that exposed me to a different aspect of healthcare, which still was rewarding.

While there, I was able to build relationships with patients that came frequently and establish a connection with them. I found myself sitting down and talking with them, learning their stories and sometimes why they were in the clinic to begin with. I found this to be the most gratifying part of the experience because there was a sense of trust that the patients held me to even though I was just a volunteer. It was inspiring to see how the condition of the patients improved immensely from the time they came in at the beginning of summer to the end of summer. The therapists at the clinic agreed that the success stories of their patients was the best part of their job, and I feel that is true with any career in the medical field. This experience has sparked excitement to one day be a part of a medical team that not only helps patients maintain their  health, but also builds personal relationships with them.

About Me

thumbnail_20160816_103753My name is Natalie Cervelli, and I come from a small town called Bellaire, OH. I plan on majoring in Biology on a pre-med track, with hopes of attending medical school to become a pediatrician. I was an active participant in high school sports, clubs, and volunteer activities. I love to read, exercise, and adventure to new places. I have always been interested in the sciences and took advantage of every opportunity in high school to learn more; in fact, by the time I graduated, I had completed seven advanced level science courses. I have hopes of volunteering in Ohio State’s medical facilities, conducting research, studying abroad, and participating in service activities. I love to learn new things and try new experiences; I am very anxious to see how OSU will help me achieve my goals.

Year in Review

Since first coming to OSU, I have seen much personal growth in myself. I have become extremely independent and have learned how to efficiently manage my time between a social life, academics, and living a healthy lifestyle. I expected that college was going to be a lot of work, which would require a great amount of motivation, yet also a time in my life where I could find who I truly am and what I stand for. These expectations about college were definitely met, yet I feel that I am going to continue to grow in my social and personal life throughout the rest of my time here at OSU. Because of my participation in HSS, I expected to become confident in my decision of a career in healthcare, as well as receive all the necessary information needed in order to be a competitive candidate for graduate/ professional school. HSS has provided all of this important information, as well as providing me vital information that is important for an undergraduate to succeed in college; I have also met some of my best friends at OSU through HSS. For my 2nd year at OSU and HSS, I hope to grow further in my personal sense of self as well as my relationships with fellow students in HSS and at OSU in general. I am excited to participate in STEP and am hoping to gain research experience or a leadership role in a extracurricular that I am actively involved in.