Other
participants on the panel included:
Brittany Galski - NCC/ESU grad, accepted into
physical therapy doctoral program
Joshua Kaminski- NCC grad, senior at Moravian
College, biology major with a pre-med emphasis
Dr. Thomas Polanski - Clinical supervising
dentist at the NCC Litwak Dental Clinic
Dr. Charles Achenbach -Professor of Biology and
NCC pre-professional program advisor (e.g.,
pre-med/dental/pharm/etc)
Dr. Kelly Austin - biology adjunct professor;
ESU graduate, and Ph.D. in environmental science
and forestry from State University of New York
College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF;
http://www.esf.edu/)
The event was coordinated by Sharon Lee-Bond, associate professor of biology, and presented by NCC SMaRT Scholars.
Advice to students included:
- Be flexible. With countless variations on the biology career theme, there are many different opportunities. It may be that special course or experience that changes your mind, as happened with several panelists. For example, Kaminksi began at NCC with the goal of becoming an engineer, but decided that medicine was truly his love after taking some biology courses. As a student at Pennsylvania State University, Adams considered career options in nutrition, biology and food science. A graduate student teaching assistantship clinched matters for her. "This is me," her experience told her about education.
- "Make your next step wisely," Achenbach said, rather than planning 16 years out. "Identify, as best you can, what what's truest to your heart." He recommends taking a chance on that class that is tugging at your curiosity. "Things fall in place, the closer you get."
- Shadow professionals. Galski shadowed doctors, physician assistants and physical therapists before focusing on physical therapy as her niche. "Following people in the field helps you decide," she said.
- Volunteer. Galski volunteered at St. Luke's Hospital.
- Participate in career-oriented activities. At both NCC and at Moravian College, Kaminski took part in the Phi Theta Kappa honor society and biology and pre-health professional clubs.
- Visit websites of baccalaureate and professional schools you are interested in to gain knowledge of pre-requisites.
- Explore transferring close to home. Colleges in a region, such as Eastern Pennsylvania, accept transfer courses from each other's institutions most readily.
- Go to NCC's website to explore articulation agreements, which make transfer smooth.
- Keep your GPA up. Good grades make you more attractive as a transfer student.
- Keep going. The higher your degree, the higher your earnings.
- If you want to become a dentist, study mechanical drafting, helpful in understanding 3 dimensions.
- If you aim for a health care career, take extra writing courses. Clear communication is essential.
- For those going into private health practice, business courses are helpful.
Some specific careers mentioned during the discussion included:
- Respiratory therapist
- Dentist or dental hygienist
- Park ranger
- Physical therapist
- Researcher
- Physician
- Nurse
- Physician assistant
- Nutritionist
- Biotechnician
- Forester
And of course, there are many, many more.