By Sophie Overholt
Most students walk the hallways every day wondering what they will do for the rest of their lives.
Others have already made that important decision. With a large demand for healthcare professionals in the United States, multiple Delta students are prepared to make an impact in the medical field.
“I’ve always had a goal to try to see people where they’re at,” Ruth Sherck said.
Sherck, a junior, wants to be an athletic trainer in the future.
“So being able to help people when they are at their lowest with injuries is important to me,” she said.
She was exposed to this profession by her father, Mr. Christopher Sherck, who was an assistant volleyball coach at Anderson University, and Mrs. Jen Detweiler, the high school athletic trainer.
“I know our school trainer, Jen, and seeing how good she is at her job intrigued me, and I like what she does and she makes me want to do it, too,” Ruth said.
The United States is expected to face a significant shortage of cardiac surgeons in the near future. Junior Brycen McNeil is ready to step up to help solve this problem after experiencing his own health problems.
“I had a heart condition last year, and so when I had that, it got me interested in the heart,” he said.
Brycen acknowledges the challenges of medical school and considers time management as the key to success.
To become a cardiac surgeon, Brycen would need to spend four years getting his undergraduate degree, then four years in medical school, then five years in residency gaining experience in all surgeries, and finally another two years in specialized heart surgery training.
“It’s like 15 years. If I can get through that, then I’ll be good,” Brycen said. “I also feel like when I interned last year at the hospital, the nurse practitioners there had really good time management.”
Senior Chloe Newsome wants to study physical therapy at Ball State University after personally experiencing how impactful the job can be.
“My inspiration was definitely from when I had my sports-related injuries,” she said. “I had to go to physical therapy for about two years for my back, and that’s when I fell in love with it.”
Chloe believes that being an athlete will be helpful in this field, because she can understand their perspective.
“I’m looking forward to meeting new people and getting the opportunity to work with people with sports,” she said.
Senior Myla Fink has found her passion in good smiles and health.
“My mom has always worked in the dental field since I was young, and I always liked what she’s done. It was just my calling,” Myla said.
From a young age, Myla knew she wanted to be in the medical profession. She knew it wasn’t just an interest or a phase but a dream that she wanted to achieve.
With an estimated 60 million Americans experiencing a shortage of dental care, she plans to attend Indiana University to study biology and enter into dentistry.
Studying healthcare will require hard work and dedication, skills that Myla developed as a young athlete.
“I feel like hard work, discipline, and soft skills come with being an athlete,” she said. “If you have a goal, work toward it.”
Similar to Myla, junior Grier Backus was inspired to join the medical field by her mother, a lifelong nurse.
“Her whole life she’s been working in the medical field, so that inspired me.” she said.
Grier also found inspiration from Hollywood.
“I like to watch Grey’s Anatomy, which is a show with medical stuff in it,” she said.
Her goal is to become a pediatric sonographer, a job that specializes in the imaging of children and infants. She is considering attending the University of Southern Indiana.
Grier knows there will be challenges, but she feels prepared to handle them.
“I can pick up things very fast, especially science, so picking things up and applying science I feel I have to be good at that because that’s what sonography deals with a lot,” she said.
Grier understands the most important part of college will be staying focused.
Her plan is to “go back to my roots and study what I need to know and just take a deep breath and know that everyone has to go through this hard struggle.”
It’s undeniable that the United States is experiencing a shortage in the medical field. Whether inspired by family or personal experiences, these Eagles are ready to make an impact in this critical profession.
