1. Take ownership of your education. It's easy to get lost in the forest and focus entirely on academic coursework but there's an incredible amount of learning that can be done outside of the classroom. For me that meant working with Dr. Mielke and one of my friends on his public health research regarding lead exposure as a research analyst. I also had the pleasure of seeing other friends write and publish work on a variety of medical topics.
2. It's important to make time for yourself during your studies and to keep your outside interests alive. These interests will keep you going when school is becoming stressful or you're homesick. For me this meant volunteering with Zeus' Rescues. I'm a huge animal person and I love interacting with them especially dogs. It was important to me to find a way to volunteer at a local animal shelter this past year because it aligned my interests as an animal person and the requirements of this program. This past month volunteering at Zeus' the volunteer coordinator pulled me aside and personally thanked me for my work which I was not expecting at all. She told me she actively looks forward to seeing my name on her sign up sheets which was a nice surprise and validation of my efforts to help.
3. Make the effort to find your niche. School is a marathon. You will get tired and weary at points. You will need a pep talk.Take the time to find friends that will support you and push you to be better. Graduate and medical school is meant to be difficult but you should still enjoy your time and finding your people will make this more manageable.
I wish everyone good luck on their endeavors and am excited to see what my friends accomplish.
Farewell!
Spring Semester Volunteer Hours: 24.0
April Hours: 8.0
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