“While we’re not educators per say, we definitely fit that role in more ways than one at the Health Center,” said Megan Pabian, coordinator of the center’s community relations and public affairs. “Not only are we educating students about their own health, but we recognize the responsibility we have as medical professionals on a college campus to provide career mentoring.”

 The event is held at the beginning of each fall and spring semester and allows students to attain first-hand knowledge about medical professions. This year the panel included doctors, a physician assistant, an advanced registered nurse practitioner, a registered nurse, a dietitian, a physical therapist, a pharmacist, a dentist and a dental hygienist.

“We have such a variety of professions represented in these four walls,” Pabian said. “It’s great to show students how many career options are out there and how we all work in support of one another with the same common goal – make our students healthier.”

The event is supported by the Office of Pre-Professional Advising and includes experts who can address graduate-school options, and admission expectations for the various fields. 

“I found the event super helpful,” said Long Nguyen, a health sciences pre-clinical major . “I was able to get great advice from a dentist on how to further expose myself to dentistry, and many other things that can enrich and strengthen my dental-school application”.

This fall’s event will be held from 8:30 to 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 6, in the Health Center’s second-floor conference room.

“Due to privacy laws, we can’t have students shadowing our doctors and other medical providers,” said Megan Pabian, coordinator of şŁ˝ÇÖ±˛Ą Relations and Public Affairs for Health Services.  “But what we can do is host our own version of a career day where students can learn a little about the different professions and ask their questions to a variety of health care professionals.”

The event, held at the beginning of each fall and spring semester, allows students to get first-hand knowledge about a wide range of professions. This year the panel includes a doctor, physician assistant, advanced registered nurse practitioner, registered nurse, dietitian, physical therapist, pharmacist, dentist and dental hygienist.

“Having a variety of different professions allows students to weigh their options,” Pabian said. “So often students want to know the difference between a physician and a physician assistant, or what makes them different from a registered nurse practitioner.”

The event is supported by the Office of Pre-Professional Advising and includes experts who can address graduate school options and admissions expectations for the various fields. 

“I attended last year, and my favorite part of the event was being able to ask questions one-on-one with the health professionals that attended and hear their experienced advice,” said Brittany Johnson, a health sciences pre-clinical major. “It isn’t every day that students are able to interact with health professionals and ask them for their insight on questions that we have. This really helped me.”

The panel included doctors, an advanced registered nurse practitioner, registered nurse, physician assistant, pharmacist and dietician. In addition to the medical professionals, students were also able to address their academic concerns with an academic advisor from the Office of Pre-Professional Advising who specializes in pre-medical and pre-clinical advising.

“My favorite part of the event was being able to ask questions one-on-one with the health professionals that attended and hear their experienced advice,” Brittany Johnson, a Health Sciences Pre-Clinical major said. “It isn’t every day that students are able to interact with health professionals and ask them for their insight on questions that we have. This event proved to be an educational and enjoyable event.” 

Health Services will continue to fulfill this mentoring role for students by hosting the event in the spring and fall semesters.

“As college health professionals, it is important that we not only care for our students physically and mentally, but that we help meet their academic needs as well,” said Dr. James Schaus, medical director of Health Services. “This event is one way we can further their academic progress by clearing up questions about our jobs and what it takes to achieve these positions.”

Health Services is a department in the Division of Student Development and Enrollment Services.