Heather Hughbanks '96 | Paula Worley '94 | Monica Embers '96
HEATHER HUGHBANKS
A typical day for Heather Hughbanks ’96 is much like that of a medical doctor – meeting with scheduled patients, performing medical procedures, writing prescriptions, and providing patient referrals to specialists. Her work as a physician’s assistant in a multi-physician family group has been rewarding as many of the services provided by the Boise, Idaho, facility are for the medically underserved.
Hughbanks has continually sought medical knowledge with the intent to help others. She is grateful for the diverse learning environments provided by McPherson College, and she believes her experiences were instrumental in developing the professional she is today.
An internship at the University of Iowa introduced Hughbanks to the initial work of gene therapy. Another internship involved working in the breast cancer research lab at NIH where she tested the benefits and side effects of tamoifen, an anti-cancer medicine frequently used with breast cancer patients. Yet another experience took her to the Virgin Islands to participate in population studies.
Her senior research project involved the exploration of bone density and weight factors while observing select groups of rats. The project involved the surgical removal of ovaries belonging to one group and administering estrogen supplements to another group. “I was excited about senior research because it was my project,” Hughbanks reflected.
She also remembers the personal assistance she received from the science faculty. “Students often have huge ideas, and the professors help them break those ideas down to make the project achievable in the time allowed,” she said. “My confidence improved as I learned even large goals can be accomplished if you have enough support.”
Hughbanks extended her college career an additional year to complete an internship in Mexico at “Ministries of Love,” a non-profit organization dedicated to helping homeless children. This venture strengthened her Spanish skills and her understanding of medicine in other cultures.
“Medical schools aren’t just interested in grades or coursework,” said Hughbanks. “You need to shine as a person because medical schools want to be convinced you know medicine is what you want to do. Your interest is demonstrated by your experiences.”
PAULA WORLEY
Dr. Paula Worley ’94 also advises pre-med students to explore why they want to pursue a career in medicine. “It’s important to get one’s feet wet through volunteer and internship positions,” she stressed. In addition, Worley notes she had a real advantage entering medical school due to her liberal arts background. “Medical schools are looking for the well-roundedness of a person,” she said.
Worley identifies several experiences that were “significant” in her decision to become a family physician. Her studies in biology and Spanish took her to Ecuador for one semester where she assisted a medical team with rural medicine. The service project was designed to benefit children and women living in the jungle area, providing them with care related to malnutrition, parasites, and prenatal issues.
Her team’s efforts were limited due to lack of patient records and patient education. Vaccinations were the one long-term relief element they could provide. The team was committed to visiting the community every three months. “Continuity of care is of huge importance to me,” said Worley.
After graduation Worley secured an internship at NIH where she assisted two doctors with a research project related to obesity among children. One year later she accepted a full-time job with NIH working in the immunology lab where she provided support to various studies related to arthritis, HIV, and the TGF-beta molecule.
While working at NIH, Worley volunteered at the Washington Free Clinic, an experience she describes as “fabulous.” The clinic treated non-citizens as it did not receive government funding. Worley was trained as a patient advocate, which allowed her to check patient vital signs and assist with exams and lab work. She was also trained for labor and delivery support. Seventy-five percent of the patient population spoke Spanish.
“This was a very influential location for me,” said Worley. “I recognized that research is great, but working with underprivileged people is the ultimate reward.” The clinic’s director encouraged her to pursue a career in medicine, identifying Worley’s drive to help others.
Currently completing her third and final year of residency, Worley works for a family practice in Wichita, Kan., where she is involved with a core rotations program that provides exposure to adult medicine, obstetrics, and pediatrics. Worley has also chosen several elective rotation assignments, including one related to addiction medicine. She enjoys the day-to-day challenges, which she explains are not just intellectual challenges. “I’m learning to deal with the emotional and socio-economic challenges as well,” she said.
MONICA EMBERS
Though most MC students do not pursue a career in scientific research, Dr. Monica Embers ’96 is of one of the few exceptions. Currently a post-doctoral fellow in the Division of Bacteriology and Parasitology at Tulane National Primate Research Center, Embers’ research is focused on the bacterial species (Borrelia burgdorferi) that causes Lyme disease. Specifically, she is interested in how these organisms are able to evade the host’s immune system and engage in persistent infections (chronic Lyme disease).
Reflecting on her years at McPherson College, Embers views the student research program as an invaluable learning experience for all majors in the natural sciences. “These projects challenge students to complete every step of the research process,” said Embers. “One must derive a reasonable hypothesis, use appropriate methodology to test that hypothesis, college and interpret data, and communicate findings both verbally and by a written report.”
Embers is convinced the student research experience strengthened her graduate school applications, noting that most institutions don’t have this type of requirement for undergraduate science majors, and if they do, students typically do not design the project on their own as is done at McPherson College.
She is also appreciative of two summer internships she completed as an undergraduate. Embers conducted research at Iowa State University, working in the laboratory of Dr. Joan Cunnick ’79. “She certainly had an impact on my decision to choose a research career by making the first internship such a positive learning experience,” said Embers.
Embers learned how to use certain types of equipment and learned laboratory techniques that are unfamiliar to many undergraduates. “I was able to interact with scientists at all levels, from the principal investigators to the postdoctoral fellows, students and technicians,” she said. “After my graduate school interviews, I was told by the interviewers that those internships were viewed as the most important attributes to my application.”
Returning to her alma mater in January 2003 to teach an interterm course, Embers encountered the improved science facilities for the first time. “The resources for teaching and the amount of laboratory space were far better than I had anticipated,” she said. “Melhorn Science Hall is well designed for its intended purpose.”
Embers encourages students to explore the many opportunities available with a degree in the natural sciences, noting biology degrees are not just for pre-med majors anymore, but are very versatile. She suggests options related to research, government jobs, the biotech industry, patent and environmental law, conservation programs, zoos, medical technology, and teaching. “Foremost, I would strongly encourage students to take advantage of any possible training or internships available to them. This will provide valuable experience and help individuals refine their scientific interests,”
she concluded.
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