Thoughts | Student Health

As the Instagram caption (below the picture) says, I finished my last shift of rotations at the UC Davis Student Health and Wellness Center on Friday. It has been a great month working with the providers, students, and staff, and I can definitely say I have learned a lot (although there is still more to learn!).

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Finished my last shift at the student health center yesterday! It has been fun learning and working with students and the staff at the student health center! ☺️ via Instagram https://ift.tt/2q0GiYe

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Rotating through here reminded me of my days volunteering at UC Berkeley's Tang Center (University Health Services) while I was an undergraduate student, especially the semester I had the opportunity to {finally} volunteer on the medical side. To get a volunteer position, I had to apply, rank the departments I wanted to volunteer in, and wait to hear back on which department (if any) I was selected for. Prior to getting a volunteer position in the "medical" department, I had volunteered in "administration" and "physical therapy." Both of these were great opportunities to gain exposure to the healthcare world, albeit on a smaller scale, and to gain insight into what other interdisciplinary team members do.

Of course, getting a volunteer position in the "medical" department and having the chance to work alongside the medical assistants (MAs), registered nurses (RNs), and nurse practitioners (NPs) was a big plus for me and really solidified my goal of being an NP. Rotating through UC Davis' student health was a time of learning and reflection for me. Aside from realizing how long it took to get to where I am, I am happy to see that I am where I am and that I am still on the path of reaching goals that I have set years ago. It is amazing to see how much more I know now than before and how there is still so much more for me to learn as I transition from NP student to being the NP. It really is, as they say, as if I have come "full circle" (although the circle would be extra full if I end up working at UC Berkeley's Tang Center!).

- Nicole G.

@nextwithnicole