Medical Chairman as a Clinical Volunteer Abroad in Panama
Global Brigades is a nonprofit that helps distribute free healthcare services to desperate communities worldwide. Through this brigade, I raised over $3,000, utilized my knowledge and experiences from the hospital to provide care to our patients, and also helped to educate fellow classmates on how to take manual blood pressure, run a pharmacy, and triage patients. Elected as the medical chair, I am responsible for leading and fundraising for the clinical supplies for the next trip to Panama. Through this experience, I have become increasingly motivated to become a physician who advocates for my patients and commits to serving people in impoverished communities.
Neuropsychology Research Assistant
As a lab assistant, I always seek involvement in projects with the intention of increasing my knowledge of neuroscience. My job is to prepare data subjects by framing fMRI scans and trimming neural tract outliers between the anterior insula and the nucleus accumbens of the mesolimbic pathway. This allows us to research the effects of the brain’s reward pathway determining the effects of SSRIs, Alcohol Use Disorders, and ADHD and how they correlate with genetic dispositions, white matter decomposition, and behavior. This research has been advantageous as my familiarity with neural anatomy and continuous motivation to always learn something new has dramatically increased.
Patient Care Technician at CHI St. Vincent Hospital
As a PCT, I am certified in BLS with experience in performing phlebotomy, hygiene care, EKGs, and more. However, prioritizing collaborative care by incorporating my interpersonal skills with patients, their families, and coworkers has been my main takeaway from this position. While caring for Allen, a patient who feared complications after his surgery, I encouraged him to maintain a positive mindset during his healing process. As a PCT, I have learned the importance of encouraging my patients to build confidence throughout their treatment. Constantly reassuring my patients, I’ve generated a passion to always provide unconditional support as a healthcare provider now and in the future.
Standardized Patient at UAMS Northwest
Searching for a way to directly witness medical students’ ability to learn and evaluate real-life scenarios, I began working for UAMS as a standardized patient. As the patient, I observe how medical students deduce information and identify patient injuries, illnesses, and complications, while also applying their education to simulations. From this role, I developed a passion for applying to a medical school that utilizes simulation training. As a standardized patient, I value giving the students feedback in order to promote their confidence while also allowing them to learn from their mistakes to later correct them during realistic encounters with patients.
President of the EMPOWER RSO
As a transfer student, I always questioned: “How can I involve myself more on campus while benefiting others?” With this in mind, I joined EMPOWER. Our program helps to assimilate students with disabilities into college while incorporating academics, independent living, and social skills to produce self-sufficient adults. As a mentor, I form relationships with numerous mentees to help alleviate their anxiety in social settings, tutor them, and help enhance their inclusion in academia. Recently elected as RSO president, I wrote the RSO constitution, developed this semester’s social events, collaborated with 169 members and 27 EMPOWER students, and boosted students’ confidence by promoting inclusivity among our mentors and mentees.
“Hard work beats talent when talent fails work hard.”
— Tim Notke