Organization Spotlight: Pre-Professional Association Towards Health

PATH members are given many skill-learning opportunities.
Photo Courtesy of Nick Yost

For most people aspiring towards a career in one of the sciences, school doesn’t stop after receiving your undergraduate degree. President Adam Cook, and Vice-President Nick Yost talk about the significant benefits that members can receive by joining PATH, that can help with school now and the journey after. This can help with building a resume, leadership skills, exposure to schools and more. 

    Nick Yost says, “It [PATH] stands for Pre-Professional Association Towards Health careers. We do activities like basic life support training and suturing that are related to the medical field. We try to bring in speakers for medical schools or other graduate schools to talk to students who may be interested.” 

    PATH’s plans for this semester seem very beneficial for members and it seems that it is going to help members with future choices after they receive their bachelor’s degree. “It really ranges for any healthcare field from doctor to dentist to physician’s assistant or physical therapy. And also one of the main points is just to raise interest among the student body in a health-related field,” states Yost.

Not only does this health-related organization raise awareness, but it also helps members and our local community. “We are going to try to do some fundraisers for certain families in the community this year. We’re also going to try and attend open houses for graduate schools to give undergraduate students exposure to places they may be interested in attending,” states Yost. 

    Adam Cook agrees that exposure to certain schools is extremely beneficial. “For me, as a student unsure of his next move in school, this has a huge impact on me and which way I plan to run with my degree. PATH has taken students on various trips to medical, physical therapy, and other professional schools. These have widened the interests of those looking at a certain school, but they can always be a persuader for one who is uncertain,” Cook states.

    Not only does visiting schools help influence decisions, but also helps with networking Cook says. “The school visits allow networking. This networking allows students to have a face-to-face interaction with someone. Even if it’s just recognizing your name or face, it could have an impact on your schooling,” Cook states.

    Overall, PATH provides students with many benefits. “Doing community service helps show that an applicant is well-rounded and is in involved with their peers and environment, it helps expose them to more schools to apply to in general, a chance to hold an officer position, which shows leadership and being able to balance school with responsibility. In the past, and hopefully this year, we are planning to have Kaplan come in and give practice entrance exams which would help students know where they stand and if they need to better prepare for their exam ahead of time,” Yost states.

    Cook provides a time that he really enjoyed being a part of PATH. “CU’s PATH stays in touch with the US Army who came and discussed various health career scholarships which assist in paying for your professional school. The Army also came and ran club members through a suture lab which really exposed the students to something new, this allows them to get a hands on experience with something they may be dealing with in the future.” 

    Dues for PATH membership are fifteen dollars a year. Yost says, “[Dues] go toward a variety of things like gas to visit professional school open house, food for events, etc. If there is any leftover, it usually goes towards t-shirts that we get each year.”

    “Anyone who is interested at any level can join. Typically, it’s chemistry, biology and athletic training majors though just because those are usually the undergraduate degrees required in most medical schools,” Yost states. 

    “Our next scheduled event is October 27 at 4 pm in the Science building, room 400. The West Virginia school of Osteopathic Medicine will be here to explain their admissions process and give a presentation. It would be a good time to come see what an event is like to sign up,” Yost states.

    If anyone is interested in joining PATH, you can contact Nick Yost at yostm15@mycu.concord.edu.