The SLU experience that helped me be successful
"Research and advocacy work. Throughout my interviews I found that participating in advocacy work was something that all residency programs valued and always asked me questions about. It shows that you are not only invested in academics but also in overall care. This is valuable when going into medicine, because as physicians our job is to care for a person and not just focus on lab work/medications. Many programs asked me about my research experience, and I was happy I had the opportunity to work in a lab at SLU. It shows that you are committed to academics."
--Samantha Ribeiro '15 MD (currently a resident in Pediatrics at the University of Buffalo)
"I developed excellent time management and organizational skills juggling life as a biology major and collegiate athlete at SLU. I have employed these skill sets throughout my nursing career while managing difficult patient assignments and caring for the critically ill."
--Emily Riley '12 BSN, RN (currently enrolled full-time at Vanderbilt University in the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Program)
"I'm thankful for the experiences and relationships that were made possible from serving on the E-Board (executive board) of the Pre-Health Club (Public Relations and Co-President). Being a member of the E-Board pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me develop into a better, more confident leader. It is from my experiences with the Pre-Health Club that I now feel more comfortable speaking up during classes and becoming more involved in other campus activities at UNE. My time in the SLU Pre-Health Club showed me that with a lot of planning and hard work, I can create real change and help make a difference in the Canton community and beyond."
--Hannah Jones '19 (currently a 2nd year student in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at the University of New England)
"As a health coach, I was assigned to provide health coaching to a chronically ill patient. Using motivational interviewing techniques, I helped the patient establish and achieve health goals. I attended clinical conferences with the patient’s healthcare team to discuss the patient’s challenges, current goals, share ideas, and offer support. I discovered that celebrating small achievements gave my patient the motivation to regain control of her health. I learned that the better course is to avoid the tendency to impose my will on my patient, but rather to listen and offer guidance consistent with their limitations and expectations."
--Christian Jennette '19 (currently a Patient Care Technician in Rochester NY while applying for Physician Assistant programs)
"I really think my public health based SYE was one of the most helpful things I was able to work on while at SLU. Not only was it a project I was really interested in and passionate about, which I was able to work on for the course of my senior year, it was elevated and expanded to places I never thought it would go. It got me in the community, researching the current state of the healthcare system in the U.S. and gave me a really solid foundation for the background knowledge you need in medical school when dealing with underserved populations."
--Colin Hart '19 (currently a 2nd year medical student at UMASS in the PURCH (Population based, Urban, Rural and Community Health) program)
"Ultimately a key part of what I do every day is talking to people, educating them on their health and trying to embody leadership on often difficult decisions with little information. Many of these skills were fostered through my experiences as a teaching assistant, class council leader and even as a caller at Calling All Saints."
--Gary Gilmond '12 (currently an Adult Primary Care Physician with the University of Vermont Health Network)
"I am very thankful for Pre-Health Club for organizing an information session about becoming a Hospice and Palliative Care volunteer. This helped me form a deeper connection with patients. I really value this opportunity because I was able to understand the importance of nursing care, especially bringing light to patients with simple gestures (ie. painting nails) around the time of death."
--Sarah Wright '19 BSN (currently taking the NCLEX exam to become a Registered Nurse; working as a Patient Care Technician in Rochester NY)
"Volunteering as a health coach increased my confidence when tackling one-on-one patient encounters and served as a basis for learning how to interact professionally with patients in medical school."
--Josh Elmer '19 (currently a 1st year medical student at Temple University)