Grace Endaya-
Although I’m currently pursuing an Integrated Studies major with a mass communication minor, which isn’t typical for those going into health/science, I actually think my winding path of deciding on my major and minor in college has worked out well for me in the long run. Because I switched my major and minor a few times, I have had the opportunity to take many challenging classes like economics, biology, and chemistry in college and medical technology/terminology in high school, giving me a solid foundation for my future career as a PTA. The mass communication minor helps me communicate effectively with patients, colleagues, and other healthcare professionals—skills that are essential for explaining treatment plans, building patient trust, and even writing professional emails or reports. The biology, chemistry, and anatomy/physiology courses have given me a deeper understanding of how the human body works, which is crucial for understanding what’s happening on a cellular level and being able to assist more effectively in physical therapy. The medical technology and terminology knowledge I gained in high school helps me navigate the healthcare setting with ease. On top of all that, my economics courses helped me understand the financial side of healthcare, like cost considerations and budgeting, which will come in handy in clinical or administrative roles in physical therapy. It also pushed me to improve my math skills, something I didn’t enjoy before, but now I feel more confident with. Lastly, switching to Integrated Studies means I’ll be able to graduate on time this spring and move forward with my dream of becoming a Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA)—starting with PTA school this fall. This definitely wouldn’t be possible if I were still stuck in some of my other college courses as I would be if I stuck with my original major of biology. Overall, having a mass communication minor, along with taking classes like economics, biology, chemistry, and medical technology/terminology will allow me to go into this field feeling prepared in essentially every aspect. Not only does the scientific background put me ahead in the classes I will need to take post grad in PTA school, but also possessing strong communication skills will enhance my success in working face to face with patients, doctors, etc in a professional environment. All of these experiences have prepared me to provide effective, compassionate care while handling the complexities of the healthcare field.
Navya
I am also a integrated studies major, but my minors are in pre-med and biochemistry. The occupation that I am pursing is becoming a doctor, and with that I need to have a background in classes that relate to health science. I have always known I wanted to pursue healthcare and because of that I had taken anatomy and psychology in high school knowing it would benefit me in the future. My minors relate towards health sciences as the required me to take biology, chemistry, biochemistry, physics and math courses. Though these courses have been difficult, I truly did enjoy learning about how much is work is happening inside each of us everyday to keep us healthy and functioning. I was able to taken various courses in those topics throughout my 4 years here, and this has lead me to have strong foundation on the functions of the human body. As well as helped me to realize that this is what I believe is the right field for me. I am planning on going into medical school and because of that I will have to take the MCAT which covers all the courses I have taken in the last couple years. My minors have helped me prepare for this moment and be a potential candidate for medical school. As I continue down this path, I will have to relearn the material over and over again. Being able to have some sort of experience on learning these topics, can help me excel and keep me motivated as I already know some of the things that are being covered. Overall, having biochemistry and pre-med minors have helped me prepare for my future in medical school as well as confirm that this is the path meant for me.
Camren
Having a minor in Healthcare Administration gives me an education on how the business of medicine works. Medicine is usually seen as becoming a doctor or nurse, but many people forget that working in the medical field offers more opportunities than that. Healthcare Administration gives me a different insight into the history of healthcare regarding how we get to a fee-for-service model or how did value-based care come about. Healthcare Administration gives me the chance to impact healthcare by adding personality to the business of medicine and being able to impact people by helping them understand what laws are the most up-to-date so we can practice the safest form of medicine possible. Sociology, which is my other minor, helps me understand how people work or how people are different, but we all have commonalities that bring us together. Sociology helps me understand how people are whether its introvert or extrovert and how people have a natural knack for networking with people. It also helps me realize people’s interaction with others and how outside issues regarding politics, class, or race can impact how people see each other. Sociology gives me the chance to value people’s backgrounds no matter how different it may be from mine we all deserve to be seen and valued in the healthcare space so we can receive proper patient-centered care.
