NOMIWOMAN SPOTLIGHT A Winding Path to Medicine BY KATIE PEREZ | GVSU STUDENT My path to Grand Valley State University’s Physician Assistant Studies (PAS) program in Traverse City certainly wasn’t a straight line. I started in aerospace engineering at the University of Colorado and worked on satellites for several years before realizing I wanted work that put me closer to people. That led me to rural Montana, where I worked with a large-animal veterinarian, and then to eight years in the Coast Guard, operating vessels along the Pacific Coast. After that, I was a game warden in Washington, where I worked with a dive team near the Canadian border. During a rescue call in Washington, I found myself frustrated that, with only minimal first-aid training, I couldn’t help more. Luckily, a trained EMT was on the scene, but that experience stayed with me and ultimately pushed me toward a career in medicine. Around the same time, I married my husband, who is an active-duty Coast Guard member, and his orders took us to Virginia. I enrolled in nursing school at Old Dominion University and began working as an emergency department technician at our local hospital. After graduating in 2019, I began working as an emergency department nurse, a job I loved. Those experiences reinforced my passion for patient care while also helping me recognize that I wanted to take on a broader role in caring for patients. I began completing the prerequisites for physician assistant school, not knowing exactly where that next chapter would take me. Finding the right fit in Traverse City When my husband’s next orders brought us to Michigan, I applied and was accepted into GVSU’s Physician Assistant Studies program in Traverse City. From the beginning, I knew there was something special about Grand Valley. The admissions committee understood the unique circumstances of military family life and was willing to work with me throughout the application process. My first campus visit introduced me to friendly, supportive staff and a top-notch facility tucked away on Northwestern Michigan College’s beautiful Front Street campus. Having lived in so many different places and experienced several careers, I’ve come to appreciate the importance of finding the right fit. The student-focused nature of GVSU’s program reassured me that I was exactly where I belonged. Today, I’m part of a close-knit cohort of 11 students in Traverse City. We attend daily lectures alongside our Grand Rapids classmates through an incredible Zoom classroom setup that connects us across the state. Our Traverse City location also offers outstanding opportunities for hands-on learning. The program includes an anatomy lab and a high-tech clinical applications lab equipped with lifelike robotic mannequins, clinical equipment, and skills trainers. These resources allow us to develop and practice essential clinical skills before beginning our rotations. Preparing to serve Northern Michigan But what truly drew me to GVSU’s Traverse City program was its focus on rural healthcare. Each week, we participate in community observation experiences, shadowing highly skilled local physician assistants, nurse practitioners, physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. These experiences provide valuable opportunities to learn from those already serving Northern Michigan communities, build professional relationships, and discover the resources available to support our future patients. For someone whose journey has taken her from aerospace engineering to the Coast Guard, from emergency nursing to physician assistant studies, these experiences have helped bring everything full circle. I’m excited to begin clinical rotations in January, explore more of rural Michigan, and hear about my classmates’ experiences in their varied healthcare settings. I also look forward to giving back to GVSU as I gain experience as a physician assistant in Northern Michigan. But most of all, I relish the thought of working in bucolic Michigan, bringing my new skill set with me back to our adopted hometown of Wolverine and helping our local community. GVSU’s Traverse City Regional Center The pathway to your future in Northern Michigan. Grand Valley has the programming, resources and support to get you where you want to be. Learn more at gvsu.edu/tcprograms. Want to be featured in a NoMiWoman Spotlight? Email kerry@northernmichiganwoman.com |
