Goals
2022-2023
Long Term Goal: Complete my education at Oakland including 2 degrees, 2 minors, and honors thesis. Shadow in surgical specialties and prepare to apply to medical school in June.
As my time at OU as an undergrad comes to a close, I want to ensure that my graduation is seamless, so I will be better able to concentrate on medical school applications and on preparing myself for the medical school curriculum.
Short Term Goal:
Research potential medical schools where I would be a competitive applicant.
2021-2022
Long Term Goal: Decide whether or not to pursue another major/minor or to take a gap year before beginning to apply to medical school.
Since I am at Oakland University on a full-tuition scholarship for four years, I decided to make the most of the opportunity I have been given and to use the remaining two years of scholarship to pursue a second degree in psychology in addition to a minor in business. This degree pathway gives me more flexibility with my classes and should allow me to have enough time to gain clinical experience and spend time preparing to apply to medical school. I also added a minor in biology in 2022.
Short Term Goal: Find employment as a phlebotomist and begin volunteering at Beaumont again.
Due to COVID, I was unable to find a stable position as a phlebotomist in the previous year; moreover, the volunteer department at Beaumont closed temporarily, leaving me with no way to gain clinical experience during COVID.
My goal for this year is to re-apply as a volunteer at Troy Beaumont and to find a long-term position as a phlebotomist. I am hoping to find a position in a location that is busy enough for me to gain lots of experience and technical skill quickly.
This goal was achieved when I obtained employment at Ascension Providence Rochester Hospital as a phlebotomist, and I have since gained valuable experience in both in-patient and out-patient settings. I have also re-enlisted as a volunteer in Beaumont's MICU.
2020-2021
Long Term Goal: Become more involved on campus by finding leadership positions.
I applied to be a member of the executive board for several organizations including the ECLIPSE Activities Board (EAB) , the Pre-Medical Society, and the Aspiring Surgeons (AS) Club. As President of the EAB, I helped bring volunteer opportunities for ECLIPSE students such as the Halloween Charity where we collected candy and made disinfected treat bags for children in hospitals or the Thanksgiving canned food drives. As an officer of AS, I was able to help set up events and managed funding for all club activities.
I also served as an ECLIPSE mentor to serve as a guide for mentees from anywhere between their freshman to senior years at OU as they progress towards a career in healthcare. My primary goal was to help incoming freshmen make a successful transition to college. I also helped more experienced students continue to be successful in their academic careers and find new opportunities on campus.
Short Term Goal: Find and join a research program at Oakland whose mission aligns with my own values.
I continued to contribute to the CHEER Lab. The CHEER Lab's emphasis on serving the community in a tangible way appeals to my personal values.
I looked for other research opportunities such as the Summer Undergraduate Program in Eye Research (SUPER) offered by Oakland's Eye Research Institute. Unfortunately although I was accepted into a few programs, most of these opportunities were canceled to protect students and faculty from COVID-19 transmission, and I was unable to gain any meaningful experience at this time.
2019-2020
Long Term Goal: Research and get training for healthcare positions where I would be able to work directly with patients.
I applied and was accepted into a phlebotomy technician training program at Macomb Community College. I achieved a certification in phlebotomy and completed an internship at the Henry Ford Macomb Health Center in Chesterfield, MI, completing over 200 successful venipunctures.
Short Term Goal: Find and join a research program at Oakland whose mission aligns with my own values.
I joined the CHEER Lab, run by Dr. Lucarelli. The CHEER Lab focuses on community-based participatory research in the Pontiac area to address social determinants of health and reduce health disparities. The CHEER Lab's emphasis on serving the community in a tangible way appeals to my personal values.