My first semester at Longwood is where I really learned how to perform in a professional setting at the Longwood Research Day. I had to present my BIOL 251 presentation (linked at the bottom of the page after a description and reflection). I was so nervous because I knew that I would be presenting to more than just my peers, but what I did not realize is how many professors I would be speaking too.
Although I was very nervous, this research day helped me grasp what a professional presentation was supposed to look like. I developed many skills that I did not realize this day, including presenting and public speaking skills, handling myself in this professional setting, and understanding how these settings operate. Without this experience, I am not sure how I would have handled my internship I had the next semester.
Spring of 2020, before COVID, I had the opportunity through Longwood to shadow three doctors until we were ultimately sent home to follow restrictions. I was very nervous for this internship because I truly did not know what to expect or how much the doctors expected of me. One of the main things I leaned on was the knowledge I gained during the symposium day. Because of that experience, I was able to act appropriately in a professional setting and do what was expected of me. Both of these experiences and PRISM (reflection and artifacts linked here) prepared me for my dream job before medical school, being a medical assistant.
This past year, my premedical advisor found a scribe position in Crewe, Virginia. I was very nervous to begin this position, but once again knew that all of the courses I have taken at Longwood prepared me immensely for this job. Not long after starting this position, I was told that my efforts and contributions in the office were much more than a scribe, so I earned the title medical assistant! I honestly would not be where I am today if it wasn’t for the biology program at Longwood. Throughout the many experiences Longwood has offered me, I know how to work well in professional settings. I developed and perfected many skills over the years, including learning when and how to take initiative, being dependable, and overall just having the character necessary for these positions.
Freshman year Jeri did not understand why all of these were necessary, but senior year Jeri has a whole different perspective. These skills and experiences have shaped me into who I am today in a professional setting and have pushed me further along in my future career. When I am a physician, I will constantly be in a professional setting. I will fall back hard on the skills I learned at Longwood to help me and hopefully will build upon these skills when in medical school. Once again, I am forever grateful for Longwood and all it has given me. I never realized how much I was able to benefit from these different experiences until the time came for me to assume a position in the medical field and during medical school applications.
I don’t have an artifact from my medical assistant position, but I linked the PRISM and BIOL 251 presentations to show what I had to present in a professional setting.