For any student interested in a career in health science, the Harding Health Sciences Club is a valuable resource. The club offers students opportunities to attend panels and hear guest speakers who work in their future careers, as well as access to clinics and service projects. Their most recent program was a panel of senior students who discussed ways to spend the summer doing internships, shadowing, or finding jobs. The seniors also answered questions on test preparation, networking, and application processes.
“One important thing is to draw clear connections between your objectives and values and the values of the school as stated in their mission statement”, said senior Medical Humanities major Rebecca Johnson in response to a question about grad school application.
Dr. Debbie Duke, the Assistant Dean of Preprofessional Programs, said that the Health Sciences Club can provide helpful resources and information to any student interested in a health science career, whether they are a freshman or a senior. Duke said that their next meeting will be a hands-on learning experience for the students in attendance.
“This next Tuesday on the 26th we’ll have a meeting that’ll be a suture clinic. An army doctor will be teaching the students how to do various types of sutures and they’ll be doing them on wounded bananas,” Duke said. “When you’re in college, you’re studying science a lot, you’re not doing hands-on things like getting to suture. And so it’s exciting for students when they get a chance to learn how to put stitches in something, even if it’s a banana.”
Duke went on to say that some of the meetings students enjoy the most is when former students who are in med school or already in their career come back to give advice. She said it is encouraging for students to get to speak to someone who was sitting at their desks a few years ago.
Senior Medical Humanities major Samantha Thomas said she felt that one of the most helpful resources the club offers to students is information about classes and requirements for med schools that they need during their time at Harding.
“It’s really helpful to know what schools want at the beginning of your college career,” Thomas said. “Some universities don’t accept certain credits or may need different classes, and having someone there to tell you what classes you need and help you through that process is a great resource.”
The Health Sciences Club is free and all information on meetings is distributed through an email list. To learn more, contact Dr. Debbie Duke.
