Mount Summer Stories: Michelle John '25 Explores Healthcare at UPHSCA

We continue to share Mount Summer Stories and Michelle John '25 had quite a summer at the University of Pittsburgh Healthcare Career Scholars Academy (UPHCSA). Michelle discovered this program through a family friend who had participated in the program last year. Upon hearing about it, Michelle was immediately interested in what the program offered. The program aims to educate high school sophomores and juniors in various healthcare fields, including bioethics, interventional radiology, public/global health, and specialized surgery.

From June 25 to July 27, the University of Pittsburgh's main campus hosted UPHCSA. Michelle and her peers from the summer program had the opportunity to live on campus with housing and food provided. During the month, students were required to keep a daily journal of their experiences and present on any medical topic of their choice. Michelle's writing and communication skills were crucial to her success in the program, and she credits the Mount and her teachers for preparing her in many ways. Honors Chemistry helped her improve her lab report skills by conducting various labs, while Speech and Communication aided her in developing essential communication skills for daily interactions with medical professionals during the summer program.

Michelle had the opportunity to explore a variety of fields and specialties during her program. She found that the shadowing day assignment was the most exciting part of the experience. Michelle was paired with a CRNA nurse and together they observed numerous ongoing surgeries at the UPMC hospital throughout the day. During her time there, she was able to visit several operating rooms and speak with multiple surgeons. Michelle credits her shadowing day experience as a pivotal moment in her decision to pursue a career in medicine, specifically in surgery.