Neuroscience major engages with community and gains healthcare experience during APEX fellowship

Zane DeMercurio ’26, a neuroscience major at The College of Wooster completed an APEX fellowship as a health coach in Wooster, Ohio. He worked as a part of Wooster’s Health Coach Program, an opportunity provided for Wooster students interested in health careers through a partnership with the Wooster 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.  

“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.”
— 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’ve 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. 

Posted in Experiential Learning on August 10, 2024.