Meet ASCLS-DE 2013 Student Reps: Julia Schafer, Evan Katradis, Shelby Guhl, James Rigler, & Alexa Pierce-Matlack
Short Bio: Julia is a senior in the MLS program at UD, and is expected to graduate in 2014. She is from Whitehall, Pennsylvania. Apart from studying medical laboratory science, she loves to play music, travel, run, and cook in her spare time.
Why MLS? Like many of my MLS classmates, I started college as a scared little biology major. After receiving seven brochures from the Medical Laboratory Science Department (not an exaggeration, they sent them twice a week), I decided to see what it was all about. As I approached the department on the third floor of Willard, I felt an overwhelming sense of warmth and sunshine coming from the office. Turns out, it was Mrs. Allshouse's radiating happiness. It's almost cheating: having the happiest, friendliest woman in the entire world working to convince students to join the major. After talking with her and taking a quick tour, I was sold.
Favorite Clinical Area? It's definitely a tie between microbiology and hematology. I'm especially interested in blood disorders and tropical diseases, and want to specialize in one of those areas at some point in my life.
Future Plans? As the result of a very strange, very random, and very awesome chain of events, I will most likely be spending the summer after graduation working in a hospital laboratory and around small villages in the rainforest of Peru. I'll be working with a lot of basic, manual testing, and focusing on malaria diagnostics. Following that, I want to use the knowledge and experience I gained to work in either microbiology or hematology, perhaps specializing in diagnosing tropical diseases.
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Short Bio: Evan is a junior in the MLS program at UD, and is expected to graduate in 2015. He is from Germantown, Maryland and went to high school there. He is the treasurer of MedLife, VP of the Medical Laboratory Science Club, member of the Making Doctors club, National Biology Honors Society (Tribeta), and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. In the past, he was a member of the Lead Council and Pre-Surgical Society, shadowed a surgeon at Christiana Hospital, assisted with the course Language of Medicine, did independent study with Dr. Arun Kumar, and was an intern at the NIH Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute where he did research in a sickle cell lab and presented his project titled “Heart Functions in Patients with Sickle Cell Anemia Pre and Post Stem Cell Transplant” to fellow researchers at NIH. Evan plays intramural basketball and was the captain of the team last year.
Why MLS? I chose the Medical Laboratory Science major for several reasons. First, I knew I would be able to help people in the healthcare industry, which is one of my passions. I love helping people and knew right away that when I grow up I wanted to find a profession where I would have the opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life. Second, I knew I would have a job after graduating, which is extremely important. Third, I want to attend Medical School in the near future and I knew that this major would give an advantage and a level of experience that is incomparable to any other major. Fourth, I was interested in the field. I love phlebotomy as well as all the courses I am taking for the major, despite how challenging they may be.
Favorite Clinical Area? I am interested in many clinical areas, but the ones that interest me the most are oncology, virology, and microbiology.
Future Plans? Upon graduation, I plan on working in a clinical laboratory for one or two years and then I plan on attending medical school. I am interested in pathology and my life-long goal is to one day either be a pathologist or a forensic pathologist. I am also interested in cardiology and neuroscience and have thought about potential career paths in those fields.
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Short Bio: Shelby is a senior in the MLS program at UD, and is expected to graduate in 2014. She is from Bear, Delaware and went to Middletown High School. In the past, worked as a technical lab assistant at Union Hospital and did a year of undergraduate research with Dr. Michelle Parent, investigating the immune response to Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Currently works as an intern with Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics in Global Production Education.
Why MLS? I chose the MLS program because of my love for science. I was attending a meeting for my previous major that happened to be on the third floor of Willard Hall. There were many posters on the wall about the program, and saw students in lab coats in the research labs, and I knew right then I wasn't in the right field. The next day I visited the department, and switched into the Medical Laboratory Sciences program!
Favorite Clinical Area? Microbiology. I enjoy the more hands-on approach and the idea of working up an organism from start to finish.
Future Plans? After graduation I hope to work in industry. I thoroughly enjoy the science aspect of this degree, but I am also a people person and therefore must incorporate that into my career. My internship with Siemens Healthcare affirmed my thought that I belong on the business side of the laboratory!
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Short Bio: James is a senior in the MLS program at UD and is expected to graduate in 2014. He is from Marlton, New Jersery and went to high school there. When not busy studying for the myriad of exams and quizzes for MLS, he likes to cook, go out with his friends and partake in Sea Isle City's annual Polar Bear Plunge!
Why MLS? I chose the MLS program because I entered university as a biology major and knew I needed a specific concentration. I received flyers for an open house for the MLS program and was really sold on the change of major by the friendliest person I have ever met, Mrs. Allshouse. Also, the field seemed really interesting.
Favorite Clinical Area? My two favorite clinical areas are molecular diagnostics and microbiology. I am more specifically interested in using molecular technologies to identify microorganisms.
Future Plans? My most immediate plan is to be in the lab! I love working in the laboratory setting, especially the microbiology lab. In the long term I may consider going back to PA school. Outside of work, I would really like to travel and see some cool sites.
* Picture: James with his friend Julia at MudRun.
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Short Bio: Alexa is a junior in the MLS program at UD, and is expected to graduate in 2015. She is from Wilmington, Delaware and went to Williams Friends High School. She is president of the Medical Laboratory Science Club, Chair of Ceremonies for Relay for Life 2014, and the Sports Copy Editor for the Review. She also plays intramural flag football.
Why MLS? I chose this major when I was applying to the University of Delaware. I talked to Dr. McLane at one of the high school student fairs and she talked so highly about this program that I knew it was the one for me. I love the hands on learning aspect and all of the lab work, so there was no other major that was a perfect fit for me.
Favorite Clinical Area? I love the oncology and the phlebotomy areas the most. I have had a few close family members and friends that have lost their battles with cancer, so anything that I and the lab can do as a whole for cancer patients' care and hopefully a cure one day is both extremely important and interesting to me. I like phlebotomy because you get to be the face of the lab for all of the patients and help directly in their treatment process by collecting the specimens needed for testing.
Future Plans? I plan to work in a lab right after graduation and then in the near future go back to school to become a doctor, specifically an ER physician.
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