Student Spotlight: Kelsey Pozerski, Premedical Health Studies

When Kelsey Pozerski, Premedical, looks toward the future, her sights are laser-focused on one objective: to become a caring, compassionate, and competent doctor.

As a fourth-year MCPHS student and medical school hopeful, Pozerski has filled her collegiate career with countless hours of studying, research, and laboratory work. Through these experiences, she’s been introduced to something that really sparked her interest, complementary medicine, a holistic, humanistic style of care. Now, she hopes to leverage her knowledge of integrated healthcare to make her future patients as happy, healthy, and pain-free as possible.

“I believe that complementary medicine courses have embedded a holistic, preventive, and self-healing perspective within my personal philosophy,” said Pozerski. “This will make me a better, more open-minded doctor, and I look forward to sharing these practices with my patients in the clinical setting.”

We sat down with Pozerski to hear more about the Premedical and Health Studies programs at MCPHS, and to learn about her compassionate take on healthcare.

Why do you want a career in healthcare?

I’ve always had an innate interest in science, and my personal experiences helped me realize that healthcare allows for the combination of science and humanism in a harmonious way. A career in healthcare will provide me with the opportunity to work in science while developing long-lasting relationships with my patients. Tell us about the premedical program at MCPHS.

What do you enjoy most about it?

The premedical program at MCPHS University has equipped me with a multifaceted perspective on the integration of medicine into various disciplines. Alongside my education in the traditional sciences, the program exposed me to many other fields, including the liberal arts, behavioral sciences, social sciences, and public health. I experienced a significant amount of self-discovery through the broad range of electives I took, including the discovery of my passion for complementary medicine.

What is complementary medicine? Did you pursue any other education opportunities related to the topic?

Prior to my time at MCPHS, I was familiar but not educated on the field and the health benefits. The elective I took, called Mind-Body Medicine, taught me how beneficial it may be in terms of the reduction of chronic disease, and I enjoyed learning about its preventive focus. I continued my exploration by taking a class focusing on the application of this area to older adults and lifestyle medicine.

It seems like the crux of complementary medicine is a holistic and integrated approach to care. Is that well-rounded approach to medicine something you’ve learned about or observed at MCPHS?

The premedical program at MCPHS University prepares students for a medicine pathway with a focus in the sciences, humanities, and the behavioral sciences. It is more than just biology and chemistry courses. Instead, it provides students with a multidisciplinary mindset to approach their future careers in medicine. In preparation for potential medical school and physician assistant studies, students learn about ethics, interpersonal communication, cultural anthropology, and the evolution of the profession we are entering into.

At MCPHS, you walk the halls alongside students pursuing careers across the full spectrum of healthcare. In terms of this integrated, comprehensive approach to medicine, do you collaborate with students in other professional programs and tracks?

My first and second-year introductory courses enabled me to collaborate with students of other pathways. I communicated with other students in different pathways both inside and outside of the classroom at interdepartmental lectures and extra help hours offered by some professors.

Additionally, student clubs and organizations typically feature students from a wide array of programs, which also provides an opportunity to interact with other students. Also, within the laboratory, many of the students I worked with were from different premed pathways. This gave me the opportunity to establish connections with them.

Tell us more about your laboratory experiences.

I’ve conducted laboratory work through my general chemistry, biology 1 and 2, organic chemistry, microbiology, and physics courses. One of the biology labs provided me with the chance to perform dissections and learn hands-on about the anatomy I was currently studying in lecture. In the microbiology lab, I grew and analyzed bacteria under the microscope, also in relevance to the current lecture material.

In what ways has your time at MCPHS prepared you for a post-graduate career in the field of medicine?

The MCPHS premedical program has taught me how to handle rigorous academic coursework while maintaining professionalism and acting with compassion.

The coursework, though demanding, has allowed me to grow and enhance my studying ability, preparing me to withstand the academic demands of medical school. The environment of the university encourages professionalism, and wearing your I.D. badge is strictly enforced, just as it is in a professional healthcare environment. Finally, there is an emphasis on teaching compassion and communication to the students, and all students must take a course called “Interpersonal Communication in Healthcare,” which speaks to the school’s commitment to strengthening these necessary skills in healthcare.

As you look toward entering post-grad life what are your future career aspirations, and how will you leverage your education experience to achieve your professional goals?

I am hopeful that I will be attending medical school. I have been traveling for interviews in pursuit of my goal. My educational experience at MCPHS has given me the ability to handle the academic coursework I will be faced with when entering medical school. The level of professionalism I have gained will assist me in my patient care. Lastly, I have learned a great deal about the empathic part of medicine through my shadowing and volunteer experiences which have equipped me with an expectation of what will unfold. I am greatly looking forward to my future career in medicine.

The School of Arts and Sciences at MCPHS integrates liberal arts and sciences with professional studies, including a Bachelor of Science Premedical and Health Studies program designed to jump-start the healthcare careers of future leaders.