G- Global Awareness- Buck-I-SERV Trip

Through the Second-year Transformational Experience Program (STEP), I will be able to go on a week-long service trip to either Guatemala or Costa Rica in January 2017. This trip will allow me to experience the world outside of the United States for the first time.

O- Orignial Inquiry- Dr. Bennet Omalu

In March 2016, I attended a talk by Dr. Bennet Omalu, a world-renowned neuropathologist who endured a shocking amount of discrimination and hatred to diagnose a major disease found primarily in America’s favorite source of entertainment: football. Dr. Omalu challenged the “conformational intelligence” that kept the NFL and many other Americans from admitting that football was, in fact, linked to Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. Omalu’s discovery not only interested me as a neuroscience major, but also as someone who deeply admires a strong voice speaking the truth, even in the face of conflict.

A- Academic Enrichment- STNA

I took a 4 week, 75 hr training course in February 2016 to become a Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) and passed the state test in April 2016 to become a State Tested Nurse Aide (STNA). I hope to find a job this summer where I can apply my newly learned skills and move closer towards my future career path.

L- Leadership Development- Buckeyes Against Alzheimer’s

In March 2016, I joined the student organization Buckeyes Against Alzheimer’s. This is a community service-based club that meets to spread awareness about Alzheimers disease and fundraise for a cure. Being a member of this club has opened my eyes to the power a group of people can have if they share a common goal. It has also enriched my leadership skills by giving me a platform to base my beliefs on.

S- Service Engagement- Buckeyethon 2016

Buckeyethon- February 5th-6th, 2016

A 12 hour dance marathon designed to raise money for the pediatric cancer patients at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Together, the program raised over 1.3 million dollars for the kids!

Year in Review

At the beginning of my sophomore year I would have never expected my personality to have changed as much has it has in the past year. Freshman year was, undoubtedly, a time of great change for me- a time when I had to learn to be independent and decide how I wanted to live my life. However, sophomore year provided me with a different opportunity for growth.

I have always been an introverted person. I sometimes let my insecurities keep me from taking chances that would benefit me greatly. I would often find myself disappointed by my own fears, and would regret missing out on a potentially great opportunity. While introverts are very common in the health field, this is not the attitude I need in order to succeed in the competitive and fast-moving field of medicine. This past year, I have tried extremely hard to push myself outside of my comfort zone to guarantee that I could excel. This year I took part in the STEP program, which allowed me to get to know some of my HSS peers on a deeper and more personal level. This program also grants me an opportunity to explore a different country while providing much needed service tot the community. Additionally, I took an STNA course in order to accumulate patient care hours for my PA school application. Finally, my friend Vanja Tolj and I are working to establish GlobeMed at OSU for the following year. This club partners with a grassroots organization in one of 20 countries throughout Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

This year has focussed my attitude towards achieving my goals instead of fearing the unknown. My sophomore year has been truly transformational and I am looking forward to seeing the changes that next year brings.

 

Informational Interview

Informational Interview with Judy Berra, RN.


Why did you select this person to interview? 

Over spring break, I had the opportunity to shadow Judy Berra, a nurse who works at University of Cincinnati’s University Hospital in the Neruo ICU. I spent the day following Judy as she acted as the charge nurse, overseeing the entire wing of patients and nursing staff. I also had the chance to shadow Dr. Krishna Mohan as he led rounds in the Neuro ICU. As someone who is still trying to decide which health career to pursue, it was an enlightening day. I decided to interview Judy because she is working in a setting identical to where I hope to someday work. As a Neuroscience major, I am truly intrigued by the diagnoses and treatments of neurological disorders and traumas. Being able to view real MRIs is so much more interesting to me when I am able to observe the symptoms on a real patient.

Describe the major responsibilities associated with their current role.

Judy works up to 12 hour shifts, depending on the day. Her shift usually begins by checking on the patients to whom she has been assigned. She checks each patient’s vitals, readjusts tubing, takes blood, and administers IV fluids and medicine. Some patients are on more than 6 different types of medication, depending on the severity of their condition. Judy showed me how to schedule the timing of medications and verify that the right medications were given to the right patient. As the charge nurse, Judy also responds to any rapid response calls. While I was shadowing, we received one of these calls while at lunch and immediately left to provide help. Although that particular situation was not urgent, she must always be ready to provide aid in an emergency. She also gets alerted when a patient enters the Emergency Room with an altered mental state. This could indicate brain damage or a neurological disorder. While I was shadowing,I had the chance to go to the ER to observe the treatment of a gun shot victim. After Judy cares for each patient, she documents their condition, mental state, and list of medications.

Advice as what you might be able to do to prepare for a similar career?

I explained to Judy that I am currently on the Physician’s Assistant track in my Neuroscience major. I also told her about my volunteering experience at Harding Hospital. She explained to me that working in an ICU is very different than working in a Mental Health hospital. In the ICU, the patients are admitted to treat a very specific health problem and the goal is to treat the illness.  However,  in a mental hospital, the patients have mental deficits that do not have a cure, meaning that the medical goal for them is to treat symptoms. It is very important to understand the facility at which you are working. Having had experiences in both settings, I believe that I would thrive best in an acute setting such as the ICU. To prepare for my career, Judy encouraged me to apply for jobs at hospitals with my STNA certification. She explained that Nurse Aides work as hard as nurses, and get fantastic hands-on patient experience. She also encouraged me to continue shadowing different health professionals at hospitals, in order to focus my interests on a specific type of PA setting.

Summarize any insights from the interview that might be helpful in your academic or career preparation.

Interviewing Judy and shadowing her in the Neuro ICU was one of the first experiences I have had where I knew I was in the right major. I have always liked neuroscience, but I was unsure how I would be able to directly apply it to a PA career track. Having the opportunity to speak to someone whose job combines my love of neuroscience and interest in hospital healthcare careers helped to focus my goals about my future career.I handle myself well in high-stress situations and always think logically before making important decisions. I am now confident that I would succeed in a hospital setting.

Neurocritical Care at UC Hospital

Neurocritical Care at UC Hospital

About Me

My name is Madeline Kiehl and I am a second-year Neuroscience major and Biology minor at The Ohio State University. I was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, but lived in Rancho Cucamonga, California from 2012 until 2014. I graduated from Los Osos High School in May of 2014 and moved back across the country to start my college career. Since beginning school at OSU, I have grown as a thinker and a leader, experiencing many opportunities to express myself and guide my fellow peers. In February of 2016, I was lucky enough to be a part of Buckeyethon 2016, which helped raise over 1.3 million dollars for pediatric cancer patients at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus. I have also had the chance to hear a wide variety of speakers, such as Dr. Bennet Omalu, a prominent neuropathologist who was the first to discover the dangerous effects of CTE (a neurodegenerative disease) in football players. Undoubtedly, however,  my favorite experience has been volunteering at the Wexner Medical Center. For over a year, I have been aiding the nurses and patients in the Harding Mental Health Hospital where I have gained countless lessons in professionalism, patience, and empathy. My interactions and experiences with the patients and nurses at Harding have cemented my passion for healthcare, and have led me to believe whole-heartedly that making a person feel even slightly better is the happiest I can make myself.