Year in Review

At the beginning of my HSS career, I was a freshman, scared to begin my journey as a student at Ohio State.  I remember moving into my dorm, meeting my roommate, and going to HSS events to meet the other students in the program.  The first few weeks of school were very intimidating.  There were so many students who were in the same boat as me.  I knew I wanted to work in the medical field, but I was not exactly sure if I wanted to be a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, dentist, etc.  I did not even know about all of the options.  This made it difficult for me to be motivated to do well in my classes.  As I branched out and made new friends through HSS, I learned about several new opportunities.  In the spring semester of my freshman year, a friend of mine in HSS invited me to get dinner and go to PA club with her.  An admissions advisor was there speaking, and he said many things about the occupation that sounded appealing to me.  I began researching the occupation and became very interested.  I continued to attend the PA club meetings, and became excited for my future.  This gave me the motivation to do things that would help me get into PA school.  I began utilizing the resources available to me, looking for tutoring services, and looking for jobs and volunteer opportunities.  I searched for opportunities in the HSS e-mails, and was able to find several resources including chemistry review sessions which helped me to improve my grades.  I also found out about open volunteer positions at The James, which has had a huge impact on my college experience.  HSS has given my so many opportunities.  I plan to continue to look for opportunities to improve my academics and more opportunities to work with patients and gain experience in the medical field.  When I was a senior in high school and applying for a spot in the Health Sciences Scholars Program, I had no idea how much of an influence it would have on my college experience.  It has given me the resources I need to achieve my goals and become excited about my future.

About Me

My name is Rachel Kernan and I am a second year student at The Ohio State University studying Health Sciences with a minor in Biology.  I am from Dublin, Ohio and went to Bishop Watterson High School.  I plan to go to Physician Assistant School after I graduate.  I am a member of the Health Sciences Scholars program and have enjoyed the opportunities this program has given me to enhance my education, serve the community, and make lifelong friends.  I am a volunteer at The James Cancer Hospital and for The Lifeline of Ohio, an employee at The Younkin Success Center, and a member of the Future Buckeye Physician Assistants club.  Some of my hobbies include running, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.  I plan to continue to become involved on campus throughout my next two years at The Ohio State University.