Paige Carson ’18, a psychology and Spanish double major, is putting her knowledge of the human mind—and her language skills—to good use this summer as a medical assistant for Drs. Klein and Parish of Aesthetic Dermatology, a practice located close to Haverford’s campus.
“I was particularly drawn to this job because of the hands-on aspect,” says Carson. “Many of the other positions I applied for were indirectly related to patient care, and I would have spent most of my day behind a desk. With this position I am on my feet all day working one-on-one with patients, and I am also [familiarizing myself] with important aspects of medical language and procedures.”
These are skills she’ll certainly need soon enough: Carson plans to attend medical school within the next couple of years, and she’s thankful that her current position offers some much-needed clinical experience. “As a medical assistant I work with a team… [so] I have a wide range of responsibilities, depending on where I am needed most,” she says. In a typical day, Carson “consults [with] and preps patients, assists in both aesthetic and medical procedures, makes follow-up calls to patients, prepares the paperwork for upcoming patients, and writes medical notes both during and following the patient visit.”
Overall, she says, this job has confirmed her desire to become a physician. Though her days are be busy (she works from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.), she’s excited to “learn important skills related to being a healthcare professional,” and, in particular, “build a rapport with patients while also learning medical jargon and methods.”
“Where They’re Headed” is a blog series reporting on the post-collegiate plans of recent Haverford graduates.
Photo: Standing against a forested backdrop, Paige Carson ’18 smiles for her senior pictures. Photo courtesy of Paige Carson ’18.