When senior Kendra Fullmer clocks in at her part-time job, she doesn’t put on an apron or fast food hat. Fullmer works at St. John’s Rehabilitation Hopsital, gaining experience in the medical field. The Image asks her five questions about maintaining a professional career while still a student.
1. What exactly is your job at the hospital and how did you get hired?
I am an Admissions Specialist and I coordinate patient arrivals, verify insurance benefits coverage, contact doctors and go over consent forms with new patients. I interviewed for the job a year ago against several other applicants, all much older, and I guess I showed them I would be a responsible and mature employee.
2. Are you planning on pursuing a career in medicine?
I definitely took this job with a future career of medicine in mind. All my life I have wanted to go into this field, and I would love to go to medical school at Washington University and become either a neurosurgeon or plastic surgeon.
3. Have you met any interesting patients during your time at St. John’s?
Oh, there are so many. I once met with a patient who was convinced he had been kidnapped and brought to the hospital by the government. He kept telling me to watch out for Big Brother. I just nodded my head and got the signatures I needed. Then there are those adorable old men that go on and on about their grandson who is a doctor or a lawyer and how I should give them a call. That always cracks me up.
4. What uniform and hygiene requirements do you have to meet as a member of hospital staff?
Because I work as part of the Administration team, I have to dress up in nice skirts, blouses, dresses, heels, etc. Personally, the only sterility measures I take are just to wash my hands a lot and be careful around contagious patients.
5. What have you learned while working in the hospital that others may be surprised to know?
I think people would be surprised with how much compassion employees have towards patients. Sometimes hospitals are viewed as cold, sterile places with nurses and doctors that are busy and uncaring. However, everyone is treated very well and it is easy to see the love every employee has for the patients. It sounds cheesy, but I have been very impressed with the hospitals and their personal level of care to every individual.
I think people would be surprised with how much compassion employees have towards patients. Sometimes hospitals are viewed as cold, sterile places with nurses and doctors that are busy and uncaring. However, everyone is treated very well and it is easy to see the love every employee has for the patients. It sounds cheesy, but I have been very impressed with the hospitals and their personal level of care to every individual.
