My Senior year of high school was amazing. It wasn't the greatest as far as the classes I was taking, but I had a fantastic senior class. One of my classes was called Careers and in that class we learned about writing perfect résumés, how to have a good interview, as well as taking numerous personality tests to find out what our optimal career would be.
One of our assignments in that class was to career shadow someone in a field we were interested in. We also had to interview them about their job description and any other related questions. I decided to shadow a PA (Physician Assistant).
At the time I did the shadowing I wasn't really super excited about PA as a career. I thought, well it's interesting and money-making but I don't think it's for me. I was really concerned about the amount of time I would have to spend in school and all those science classes I didn't really want to take. So I forgot all about being a PA for about a year.
I started my freshman year at Union College as an International Rescue and Relief (IRR) major and I was really excited. After my trip to Nepal last March and April I was really excited to get more into outdoorsy and medical things. I was excited and enthusiastic but I didn't feel fulfilled or like the major I was doing was intentional. I didn't know what the problem was. I was excited about IRR, there was nothing else I wanted to do, but something just wasn't right.
I kept thinking back to my trip to Nepal and how much I really loved it. I loved it so much; I would be happy living there. Give me running water and internet and I'll be happy pretty much anywhere. I wondered, like many IRR majors, what I was going to do when I was done with IRR. Who will I be? What will I do with this major? I love the outdoors, but how can that help people? How can I make this into something that will fulfill me as a person and be fulfilling to others as well? I didn't want to be one of those IRR majors who graduated and then couldn't find a job. God was gently tugging on my heart. I started to realize that the one way I could answer all these questions and be able to do everything I wanted was to add a Pre-PA emphasis.
As a Pre-PA in IRR I would be able to do everything I wanted. I could help people in Nepal, I could be outdoorsy, I could pay off my student loans a lot faster. I felt that this was just what God wanted me to do. I thought about it for a few weeks, solemnly thinking about all the science classes I would have to take. Then I just decided to do it. I marched myself down to my advisor's office and told him I was going to add a Pre-PA emphasis. We talked about the different classes I would have to take and I went over to the records office and officially added Pre-PA as my emphasis.
I'm still a little nervous about what the future holds, but I know that if I follow God's plan, He'll bring me through it. Philippians 4:13 says, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." I've seen this to be true in my life in everything I've gone through. I didn't always see God during the struggle but looking back I can see how He carried me.
