Shelby Winzent '13

Name: Shelby Winzent

Graduating Class: 2013

Major: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Your Story:

My name is Shelby Winzent. I am a senior from Golden, Colorado.

I heard about Gustavus from a teammate in club gymnastics who attended here and loved it. After visiting several schools, I knew Gustavus was right for me because of its academic rigor, community environment, and competitive gymnastics program.

As a gymnast, I encountered many injuries and subsequently many visits to the hospital and clinics. From the time I was young the medical field has fascinated me. When I initially entered college, I wanted to be a Biomedical Engineer to be on the forefront of medical technologies and techniques. However, after doing pharmaceutical research for J-term freshmen year I realized I wanted to be more involved with patients. My coach suggested that I look into physician assistant as a career path, and was instantly interested because of the direct interactions with patients and flexibility in roles and specialty.

The most influential experience at Gustavus was the Pre-Health J-term Career Exploration Opportunity because it allowed me to interact with a variety of health care providers. It not only helped me to solidify my aspiration to become a PA, but also taught me about various specialties, and, most importantly, the team aspect of health care.

My Class Schedule (click to view PDF)

Top Five Activities/Experiences:

1. Volunteering in Kenya
2. Clinical Research for the University of Colorado Medical School
3. January Pre-Health Career Exploration Opportunity
4. Gustavus Gymnastics
5. Student Athlete Volunteer Educators (SAVE)

Advice:
Do your research. The best way to know what you want to do is to figure out what you don’t want to pursue. Also, PA programs tend to have varying requirements so it is important to look early at these to ensure you are taking the right courses and are in line with the experience they require.

Challenge yourself in the courses you take and don’t overlook the information in the basic sciences. Working hard and learning as much as you can in your courses will prepare you for what’s ahead. This is especially important for PA school where they have a more condensed program and expect you to have a strong foundation.

Keep the big picture in mind. It is really easy to get stuck in the Gustavus bubble, but take time to keep up what is going on in the outside world. It helps keep things in perspective and gives your studies a context. It is also important during the interview process to be up to date on current events.

Future Plans:
I will be attending the Augsburg PA Program starting summer of 2013.

Updated 2/15/13 JMV