Zane DeMercurio �26, a neuroscience major at 黑料老司机 completed an APEX fellowship as a health coach in 黑料老司机, Ohio. He worked as a part of 黑料老司机檚 Health Coach Program, an opportunity provided for 黑料老司机 students interested in health careers through a partnership with the 黑料老司机 Community Hospital, the Community Care Network. After undergoing training, DeMercurio worked with patients to monitor their health, provide companionship, and promote a healthy lifestyle. Through his work as a health coach, DeMercurio supported the local community and gained valuable experience for a career as a doctor.
淚 loved getting to know all of my patients and then using my knowledge about them and applying it to their medical conditions so that I could take care of them.�
� Zane DeMercurio �26
Q: Why was your position a good fit for you?
DeMercurio: I am a part of the Health Coach Program, and this summer opportunity was presented to us at the beginning of our time as health coaches. This position was a great fit for me as I intend on becoming a doctor and this internship allowed a lot of direct patient care hours.
Q: What interests you most about the work you did?
DeMercurio: I loved getting to know all of my patients and then using my knowledge about them and applying it to their medical conditions so that I could take care of them. Each day I would go to patients� houses, get their vitals, check in with them about their conditions, fill their medicine boxes if they had one, and then we would talk about anything they wanted.
Q: Who was your fellowship mentor and how did they help you to succeed in this position?
DeMercurio: Grit Herzmann, associate professor of psychology and neuroscience, was my mentor, and I appreciated the work she put in for us to allow us to enjoy our summer. She helped me organize my plans and what I wanted to improve on each week. She also gave me perspective so that at the end of each week, I could take a step back and think about my performance that week, and then how I could improve the next week.
Q: What are some skills you檝e learned that you see yourself carrying forward in your career?
DeMercurio: I have learned the importance of bedside manner in direct patient care. That has improved the most for me over the summer. I am able to talk to patients more fluidly about their medical needs, so that I can give them the best care possible.