Biochemistry & molecular biology major works to provide access to healthcare for vulnerable communities

Jack Donahue ’24, a biochemistry & molecular biology major at The College of Wooster, spent his summer engaged at the Viola Startzman Clinic. Donahue worked as a social justice intern at the local comprehensive medical and dental care clinic, which attempts to eliminate barriers and provide access to healthcare for vulnerable patients. His work consisted of improving patient compliance through evidence-based research and refining a health coach program for the clinic. 

“This internship helped me see that I want to continue working in medicine. My experience opened my eyes to some of the disparities in healthcare, and this is something I want to work on fixing during my career.” 

—Jack Donahue ’24 

How did you learn about the internship opportunity for your APEX Fellowship?  

“I learned about the Social Justice Internship opportunity at The Viola Startzman Clinic from a meeting with Carly Eppler, assistant director of experiential learning at APEX. The position was a great fit for me because I am interested in a career in medicine, but I have not had experience regarding social justice issues in healthcare. By helping the clinic serve those who are less fortunate, I learned about the problems present in our healthcare system.” 

What interests you most about the work you did?  

“I am interested in the work that I did because I helped the clinic carry out its mission of providing healthcare and hope to those who need it. My day-to-day duties included joining our providers in outreach events, doing research for our grants, and helping any of my coworkers with anything that they needed. One task I did that was unexpected was working as a dental assistant. We were short-handed and another dental assistant was needed, so I stepped in to help.” 

Who was your fellowship mentor and how did they help you to succeed in this position? 

“My fellowship mentor was Associate Professor of Economics and Business Economics Brooke Krause. She gave me great reflective questions at the end of each week during my internship that made me dive into what I did throughout my experience. She enjoyed having conversations with the other social justice interns and me about what we have seen during our time working, which I appreciated.” 

What are some skills you’ve learned that you see yourself carrying forward in your career? 

“Some skills I have learned are patience, persistence, and open-mindedness.” 

How has the internship helped you to see what’s next for you?  

“This internship helped me see that I want to continue working in medicine. My experience opened my eyes to some of the disparities in healthcare, and this is something I want to work on fixing during my career.” 

Posted in Experiential Learning on August 15, 2022.