This past summer, as an incoming first year student at The Ohio State University, I was excited to explore all that a large university has to offer.  I expected to feel overwhelmed with opportunities of how to become involved around campus.  While at first this was true, I was able to quickly find a few organizations I was passionate about and wanted to invest time in.  I expected the Health Sciences Scholars program to be a great way to meet students that are taking similar science classes and are interested in a health care related career field.  The program did allow me to get to know several like minded students.  As a group of students with similar goals, we were able to motivate each other to do well.  One of my favorite parts of the Health Sciences Scholars program is the number and variety of events that take place.  In particular I found the stress management, talk about the transition to organic chemistry, and the bring your own bowel events were very memorable and applicable to college life outside of the Health Sciences Scholars program.  I found that I learned something new at each event and it allowed the students to keep in touch on a regular basis.  My goal for my second year in the Health Sciences Scholars program is to attend even more events.  As second year students, not everyone will be living near each other in the dorm and we will not have a weekly seminar class.  Therefore, attending events will be the main way I can connect with my Health Sciences Scholars peers.

The most memorable service experience I had throughout my first year at The Ohio State University was volunteering at the Wexner Medical Center.  Once per week I would attend a two to three-hour volunteer shift.  Throughout the first semester I volunteered in Rhodes Hall admittance.  I wheeled patients to their surgery rooms after the patients checked in at the front desk.  This experience was very impactful because it allowed me to become more familiar with the different parts of the hospital and the different types of doctors and nurses in each part. I was able to meet a wide variety of patients and hospital staff.  After my first semester at OSU I became more interested in the career of an OBGYN.  Throughout my second semester I volunteered on the Mother and Infants Postpartum floor of the Wexner Medical Center.  While on this floor I was able to meet OBGYNs and pediatricians.  My role as a volunteer was to help the staff with unit tasks as needed.  These unit tasks often included making information folders for the new moms, putting together snack bags for visitors, restocking room supplies, making patient charts, operating the fax machine, and letting visitors enter or exit the floor.  As a result of this experience I gained insight on what it is like to work in a hospital.  I spent the majority of my time as a volunteer at the nurses’ station and therefore I got to watch the hospital staff communicate as they come and go between patients.  I look forward to continuing to volunteer at the Wexner Medical Center throughout my next three years at The Ohio State University.