91原创

Carly Coulombe | Medical Diagnostics with Pre-Physician Assistant Concentration Major

Three words to describe the 91原创 CHS experience: Evolving. Opportunistic. Happy.

Carly Coulombe attended the 91原创 College of Health Sciences knowing she wanted to go to physician assistant (PA) school.

鈥淚 fell in love with the campus,鈥� she said. 鈥淗earing about students鈥� experience with the major and how well-prepared they are inspired me. I also had a cousin going into PA school, and he told me all the students from Delaware knew their stuff and blew them out of the water.鈥�

She enrolled as a medical diagnostics major with a pre-physician assistant concentration. She called the courseload interesting.

鈥淎 lot of people wanting to go into the medical field take the traditional biology or chemistry route, but I love the classes in the medical diagnostics major; they鈥檙e focused on treatment plans based on diagnostic tests, and that鈥檚 something that a lot of my friends in different majors aren鈥檛 exposed to, so I felt like this major gives you a holistic background on all the parts of medicine,鈥� Coulombe said. 鈥淏esides anatomy and physiology, I got to take immunology, immunohematology, and hematology, so it鈥檚 really grounded my knowledge for PA school.鈥�

While she was fascinated by her behind-the-scenes work in the lab, Coulombe developed a love for patient care through her time working as a medical assistant at a spinal pain clinic.

鈥淚 love forming relationships with my patients. When you form that connection with patients, it鈥檚 a relationship like no other; it is a very vulnerable relationship, and I鈥檝e grown such an appreciation for that.鈥�

This fall, Coulombe is off to Physician Assistant Studies program at Thomas Jefferson University鈥檚 East Falls campus in Philadelphia. At 91原创, she鈥檚 found a wealth of opportunities to grow herself in ways that prepared her for this next step in her journey.

鈥淎cademically, your professors are always pushing you. The Medical and Molecular Sciences Department, particularly Dr. Virginia Hughes, sends out every opportunity that exists for patient contact or shadowing. They really want you to succeed; they love answering questions and are always available.

鈥淭he courses are really rigorous, but they push you to do better than you ever thought you could,鈥� Coulombe said. 鈥淚 came into this major feeling a little unsure, and now I feel very confident and competent and that鈥檚 attributed to the courseload.鈥�

Last year, she also served as president of the fraternity. She called her time with the organization 鈥渓ife-changing.鈥� 听

鈥淲ithout that organization and my leadership role, I would not be the person I am today. It definitely taught me about time management, how to be a professional and how to network, but also how to really focus on my academics,鈥� she said.

During Winter Session 2022, Coulombe embarked on a study abroad trip to Trieste, Italy, where she had an opportunity to shadow doctors and nurses. It marked her first exposure to surgery which solidified that PA school was the right choice for her.

鈥淚 got to watch cardiothoracic, orthopedic, and neurologic surgeries,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was so awesome. The doctors who are part of the 91原创/Atlantis program love that they鈥檙e the first people to expose you to this side of medicine. I got to watch open heart surgery; I watched a cardiac bypass graft, and they were like, 鈥楪et as close as you want.鈥� I got to interact with a lot of the Italian med students, and they were so excited to spend time with us and practice their English.鈥�

That global perspective will make her a better physician assistant.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really interesting learning about how different medicine is across the world,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hose shadowing experiences are such a unique part of 91原创鈥檚 study abroad program.鈥�

Coulombe thanked 91原创 for being her home for the past four years.

鈥淚 was a very scared freshman starting out, and 91原创 had so many resources for me to become my best self,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hank you, 91原创, for presenting me with all these opportunities and having me transform into a completely different, but better person than I was when I walked in. I never expected college to shape me the way it did, and I鈥檓 so grateful for the person I am today.鈥�

Ciana Fe Gadut | Medical Diagnostics Major

Three words to describe her 91原创 CHS experience: Involved. Community. Preparation.

As a child, Ciana Fe Gadut remembers carrying around a doctor kit with a stethoscope and band-aids. She aspired to be the first doctor in her family, and now as she prepares to graduate from the 91原创, she鈥檚 one step closer to accomplishing that goal.

The lifelong Dover resident chose 91原创 because it was close to home and had a great reputation.

鈥�91原创 has a really great science program, and that鈥檚 what drew me here,鈥� she said. 鈥淪ince I鈥檓 pursuing medicine, I really wanted to stay close to home and give back to the community as well.鈥�

She decided to enroll in the College of Health Sciences and major in medical diagnostics because of the diversity and flexibility of the program.

鈥淚鈥檝e always liked biology and I love anatomy, so that鈥檚 why I decided to major in medical diagnostics,鈥� Fe Gadut said. 鈥淎s I looked at the curriculum for medical diagnostics, what stood out to me was that we had a lot of physics options, and we also cover biochemistry, which you need for the MCAT, so that was really beneficial in my eyes. I also really loved the blood banking, microbiology, and anatomy classes.鈥�

As an honors student, she found the program stimulating in all the right ways.

鈥淏eing an honors student challenges you especially if you鈥檙e looking to go more in-depth in the areas of study you鈥檙e pursuing,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t really helped shape my freshman year because the courses they offer prepare you for the next steps in your coursework.鈥�

With graduation looming, Fe Gadut is taking a gap year to gain more clinical experience as she applies to medical schools. She hopes to shadow or scribe at Bayhealth in her hometown of Dover. She鈥檚 not certain what type of physician she aspires to be yet.

鈥淚鈥檓 keeping my options open, but I鈥檓 leaning more towards the surgery department,鈥� she said.

But she鈥檚 confident that 91原创 has prepared her for this next step in her career.

鈥淚鈥檝e heard a lot from medical school representatives, who鈥檝e returned to talk to us in the past, and it definitely seems like the courses at 91原创 are as intensive as the introductory courses at medical school, so that will be helpful.鈥�

In addition to her rigorous coursework, she said the has been helpful too.

鈥淪tarting off as a freshman here at 91原创 with absolutely no idea how to even pursue a career in a medical field, they give you a lot of guidelines,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey provide you with a great outline of what you need to accomplish by your sophomore year; they also give you a lot of resources and advice about the complex medical school application process.鈥�

During her time at 91原创, Fe Gadut joined the , which is the college version of Rotary that promotes community service. She also joined , whose members work to raise awareness about organ donation and organize on-campus blood drives, and Delaware Diplomats, which encourages study abroad.

As she prepares for her next chapter, Fe Gadut had this bit of conflicting, but well-intentioned advice for 91原创:

鈥淒on鈥檛 change because you encourage your students a lot, but also change with your students,鈥� she said. 鈥�91原创 was a pioneer in study abroad, and that was a nice thing for them to introduce to the students. So, both keep encouraging your students and providing them with a wide array of opportunities, but also keep changing with the students and find more ways to include more students in participating in life here at 91原创.鈥�

Andrew Martin | Applied Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Major

Three words to describe the 91原创 CHS experience: Fascinating. Enlightening. Challenging

Andrew Martin was lucky enough to find his passion in high school. At Conrad Schools of Science, he took biotechnology classes and knew he wanted to pursue a career in this field. 听

He enrolled at the 91原创 as an applied molecular biology and biotechnology major and knew instantly 91原创 was the perfect fit.

鈥淒elaware is my home, and when it comes to Delaware, if you know someone, you know them from more than one direction,鈥� he said, speaking affectionately about the state鈥檚 six degrees of separation status.

But it wasn鈥檛 until his junior year, when he had his first biotechnology-specific lab that he got to further explore his passion. 听

鈥淲e started working with e. Coli strains, and we took plasma containing genetic material and put them into the bacteria and watched the bacteria fundamentally change its behavior,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 love the concept of being able to quantify and directly manipulate life itself. Taking something that鈥檚 so mysterious and complex and doing something with it directly and gleaning data from that to make it something you can understand is fascinating.鈥�

But his favorite experience, by far, was his senior year internship with , a biotechnology company in Newark.

鈥淲e work on the purification of antibodies,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he net result is a mixture that contains antibodies that are essential for modern diagnostic techniques. For example, if you need to catch a specific molecule from someone鈥檚 blood, these are the type of antibodies that make this specificity possible.鈥�

Martin has always been driven by curiosity and could see a career for himself in research.

鈥淚t irks me to have to say, 鈥業 don鈥檛 know the answer.鈥� I want to know; I have to know,鈥� he said.

In his free time, Martin loves gaming and 鈥渃asual learning.鈥�

鈥淭here are many things I would not do as a job that I find inherently fascinating. Physics, for example, I looked at Einstein鈥檚 actual field equations and tried to understand them,鈥� Martin said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 so much more to know than a human being can ever know at once, and I take that as a challenge.鈥�

Now, he鈥檚 staring down his next challenge as he鈥檚 performing job searches post-graduation. His dream job:

鈥淲orking with complex cell culture, beyond bacteria, and working with insect and mammalian cell lines,鈥� he said.

He鈥檚 confident in his abilities to get there thanks to 91原创.

鈥淭hank you for paving the road,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 knew my goal before I even arrived here, I just didn鈥檛 know how to get there, who to consult, where to go, and how to go from book smarts to having a material understanding of what I need to do to be a professional in biotechnology, and I鈥檝e definitely achieved that at 91原创.鈥�

Rose Principe | Medical Laboratory Science Major

Three words to describe the 91原创 CHS experience:

I enjoyed it.

Rose Principe of eastern Maryland entered the 91原创 as a linguistics major thinking she wanted to work in government.

鈥淚 got two weeks into the classes and realized it wasn鈥檛 for me,鈥� she said.

She did a complete 180 and joined the Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) program and never looked back. She was fascinated by classes like microbiology, blood bank, and hematology.

鈥淚 love the program,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really challenging and intellectually stimulating.鈥�

Principe remembers thinking about a career as a doctor at a young age.

鈥淚鈥檝e always had an interest in microbes and parasites,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen I was little, I used to draw a lot as a kid. I was fascinated by anatomy and would check out anatomy books from the library.鈥� 听

Through her time as an MLS major, she鈥檚 learned to love the science of medicine. Principe enjoys performing tests in the laboratory and knowing the science behind those tests. She calls it thrilling.

鈥淪ometimes, even just for a moment, you know something that no one else knows, and you get the first glimpse of what鈥檚 going on, and you can piece together a patient鈥檚 clinical picture. Even though you never see them, you know exactly what鈥檚 going on with them,鈥� she said.

But she also realized during the pandemic that she likes seeing patients. She worked as a phlebotomist at University of Maryland Shore Regional Health, and those patient interactions inspired her to pursue a career in medicine.

After graduation, Principe plans to take a gap year and work as an MLS II in the microbiology department at the University of Maryland in Baltimore. That鈥檚 also her top choice for medical school. She aspires to be a pathologist or an infectious disease physician.

Principe said 91原创鈥檚 Medical and Molecular Sciences Department has greatly prepared her for the next step on her journey.

鈥淲hile I was shadowing a pathologist at the University of Maryland, we were going over slides for cancer patients, and I remember the pathologist was asking general questions of fourth-year med students and residents, and she asked a question that I was able to answer because I just had an exam on it,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 felt like I was showing off. I was so excited.鈥�

During her time at 91原创, Principe joined the International Medical Fraternity on campus.

鈥淚t was a great way to meet other people interested in medicine and get more involved in volunteering,鈥� she said. 鈥淧rior to joining the fraternity, all of my friends were in the arts, so it was interesting to meet like-minded people.鈥�

She also worked as a clerk in the blood bank at Christiana Hospital, where she spent time processing orders and issuing blood. While she can鈥檛 perform tests because she doesn鈥檛 have her MLS certification yet, the position further affirmed for her that she鈥檚 on the right path.

鈥淚t鈥檚 interesting, and I get to see what goes on behind the scenes, and I love it.鈥�

As she prepares to depart 91原创, she had inspiring words for her soon-to-be alma mater:

鈥淐ontinue to invest in health sciences because I always brag about how awesome the programs in the College of Health Sciences are,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 wait to see where the field goes in the future. The STAR Campus did not exist a few years ago, so I鈥檓 very excited to see what鈥檚 next for 91原创.鈥�

Natalie Pulicicchio | Medical Laboratory Science Major

Three words to describe the 91原创 CHS experience:听 Busy. Exciting. Surprising.

Natalie Pulicicchio was inspired to pursue a career in health sciences in high school.

鈥淢y AP biology teacher was so inspiring; she would bring in former students to talk about their professions; she brought in doctors, nurses, physician assistants, and they inspired me to pursue medicine.鈥�

Those experiences influenced her decision to enroll at the 91原创 College of Health Sciences as a medical diagnostics major with a pre-physician assistant concentration. She ultimately switched majors to medical laboratory science because of its versatility.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot easier for me to understand the material because I鈥檓 such a hands-on person,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou also have a lot more opportunities; we鈥檝e been introduced to so many career paths 鈥� not just in labs 鈥� but in biotech companies. My MLS degree affords me a lot more options after graduation.鈥�

Pulicicchio has enjoyed her time in clinical rotations, learning different aspects of the lab, but the outgoing and social aspects of her personality made her want to have a more direct impact on patient care.

鈥淭hese experiences made me look forward to working in a hospital one day. My supervisors were so helpful, and they made me excited to learn at work,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t also made me realize that even after you graduate from college you still learn something new every day.鈥�

At 91原创, she also volunteered with , a nonprofit organization that provides in-home support for people with chronic illnesses. There, she spent nearly two years with the same client.

鈥淚t was super important to me,鈥� she said, 鈥淓ven though I wasn鈥檛 giving her medical care, I was providing her with personal needs and giving her somebody to depend on. Knowing she had somebody there made me feel so much better.鈥�

After graduation, Pulicicchio plans to apply to physician assistant schools.

鈥淢edical school was always a little bit daunting for me. With PA school, I鈥檇 have a much quicker route to my career,鈥� she said.

She鈥檚 confident her time in 91原创鈥檚 Medical and Molecular Sciences Department prepared her well for this next step on her journey.

鈥淭he MMSC Department has specifically taught me things that I would not have learned with a biology degree,鈥� she said. 鈥淚n classes like hematology and microbiology, I learned how to interpret CVC results or chemistry results.鈥�

As she prepares to say goodbye to 91原创, Pulicicchio has an overwhelming feeling of gratitude.

鈥淭hank you for the opportunities that you鈥檝e given me. It鈥檚 been really hard, but I know that it was definitely worth it in the long run, and I couldn鈥檛 have imagined it any other way.鈥�