If you are a pre-med student like myself, chances are you are either in school full or part time, you are in the process of or have already taken tons of difficult science courses and with all of this going on you are still catching yourself looking for ways to enhance your medical school application stand out. As a student in general, it can be pretty tough finding a job that will work with your busy school schedule, and if you do find one that does finding balance between school and work seems impossible. I’m here to deliver some good news ! There are tons of jobs available that will allow us pre-meds to find balance between making money and increasing our chances of standing out o our medical school applications. Uh- oh ! More good news….. These positions do not require extensive or unrealistic qualifications. I am so excited to share this list with you all and I am hoping that this post will bring some joy and motivation into the life of anyone who may have began to feel the slight bit of defeat. Pharmacy Technician A pharmacy technician is a title- protected licensed healthcare professional who works alongside a licensed Pharmacist. With just a short certification program, you can begin working in a pharmacy setting and gain the greater knowledge about medications. Pharmacy technicians help dispense medication to customers and other healthcare professionals as well as confirm the accuracy of prescriptions, measure and package medications as well as label prescription bottles. Medical Scribe A medical scribe is a physician collaborator who fulfills the primary secretarial and non-clinical functions of the bust physician or mid-level provider. Scribes specialize in medical data entry into a paper or electronic medical record system and in instituting efficient workflow process, thus increasing the medical provider’s capacity to provide direct patient care like seeing the next waiting patient, performing medical procedures and communicating with nursing staff. The scribe actively monitors the duration of medical testing results such as blood and urine tests, x-ray, and CT reports in order to prevent unnecessary delays and expedite patient dispositioning. Certified Nursing Assistant I know, I know ! You may be thinking : “Why would I do this if I’m not interested in becoming a Nurse?” Two words : Patient interaction. CNAs are healthcare professionals who provide intimate, hands-on healthcare to patients in medical settings under the supervision of a Registered nurse or a Licensed practical nurse. Some duties include bathing, serving meals, assisting with trips to the restroom etc. The job itself is not glamorous but then again, that isn’t what the medical field is about. Emergency Medical Technician Now, if you are looking for a fast paced, adrenaline rushing, high- energy position with direct patient contact, this role may be just for you. EMTs are health care professionals that are trained to provide basic emergency medical care and respond quickly to emergency situations, traumatic injuries and accident scenes. For a role such as this one, EMTs must complete 120 to 150 hours of training to obtain their certification and then take the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) exam. Medical Assistant Medical assistants are specially trained health care professionals who work closely with patients, nurses, and physicians. These professionals perform a variety of both clinical and administrative tasks associated with running a medical office or clinic. Working in this role can be both physically and emotionally challenging but it can also be very rewarding. No matter what position you find your way into, be eager and willing to learn, to advance, to progress, to be of help and support to those in need. We are the faces of healthcare and it is our job to deliver. Let’s show up, show out and stand out ! We will become physicians in this decade…. Let’s claim it ! #rn #registerednurse #Premed #lpn #womeninmedicine #medicalschool #cna #blackdoctors #futurephysician #emt #medschool #futuredoctor #pharmacytech

There’s this love/hate relationship between myself and school. When class is in session you can catch me excited and motivated weeks before while I’m shopping for all new pretty notebooks and folders. I even get super excited reading the course syllabus. Four days into the semester and if ” I hate it here” was a person…. Whenever I take a hiatus from school, I tend to get bored pretty quickly. I begin to feel as if I’m not doing enough with myself because I am so used to working full time and also being a student full time. I have come to the realization that in life there really is no such thing as satisfaction. We as humans will always want or need more, no matter what it is. If you’ve read my previous blog post then you know that I am currently in my first year of Grad School. This will also be my first term back after a 3 term hiatus. I’m still not ready to speak on exactly why I stepped away for so long but maybe one day I will be. Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today. – Malcolm X As a part of my decision to register for the upcoming term, I have decided to take on only 6 credit hours. This decision will be beneficial to me because it will prevent me from overwhelming myself as I transition back into student mode. My classes have already been chosen and ya girl is officially registered. I have decided to take : HS3310– Human Behavior in the Social Environment 1 PH7010– Foundations of Public Health Human Behavior in the Social Environment is designed to help you chart a knowledgeable course through the complexity of human experience. During this course, we will explore a select set of theories that help us understand how individuals ans communities develop and interact. Foundations of Public Health is designed to provide an opportunity for us students to investigate the fundamental determinants and the complex set of intermediate factors that underpin health and disease status in different populations at various scales of analysis. I am super excited about getting back to basics as far as education goes. I’m also excited to purchase all of my new stationary, to look over the course syllabus, and to find new study spots around my city. I love scoping out low-key study spots outside of my usual places like my home, my local library or my nearest Starbucks. Now don’t get me wrong, there isn’t anything wrong with studying at any of these places, but sometimes a switch up is needed. At least for me it is. I cannot wait to give you all an update on my likes and dislikes this term, coursework and even my complaints (lol). I can see me coming to you all with my typical rant about me wishing to hurry up and graduate and be done with all of this. Lol, whewww how naive of me. One day I’ll truly realize that I have a lifetime of learning ahead of me and this here is only the beginning. I am so grateful to have you all along on this journey with me. I truly appreciate all of you and all of the well wishes and encouraging words you shower me with regularly. This isn’t only for me, this is for US. #Premed #medicalschool #graduateschool #publichealth #medicine #healthcare #futuredoctor

Today is day 21 of my mandated quarantine. At this point I am experiencing a decrease in sight in my left eye and bilateral hearing loss. (Lol) Just kidding guys ! Let me start off by saying even for someone like myself who is a homebody and an introvert, this is HARD! It’s one thing when you decide on your own to skip out on plans and stay indoors, but to be ordered by State and Government officials to remain indoors…. it makes you feel as if you are a prisoner in your own home. The United States of America along with many other countries around the world are experiencing something so unfamiliar, something so scary and unimaginable, a Global Pandemic, the COVID-19/ Coronavirus Pandemic. This pandemic that our countries are currently facing head on has certainly opened my eyes and increased the motivation in me that has been hybernating. I’ve never been more eager to dig deeper into my currently major of Public Health. “Public Health connects us all “ For those of you who may not know exactly what Public Health consists of or have very little knowledge, I am more than happy to give you an idea as to what it is. Public Health is the Science of protecting and improving the health of people and their communities. This work is achieved by promoting healthy lifestyles, researching disease and injury prevemtion, and detecting, preventing and responding to ifectious diseases. Overall, Public Health is concerned with protecting the healtth of the entire populations. These populations can be as small as local neighborhoods, or as big as an entire country or region of the world. Public Health professionals try to prevent problems from happening or recurring through implementing educational programs, recommending policies, administering services, and conducting research- in contrast to clinical professiponals like doctors and nurses, who focus primarily on treating individuals afrer they become sick or injured. Public Health also workes to limit health disparities. A large part of Public Health is promoting healthcare equity, quality and accessibility. So now that you all know a little bit more about Public Health, let’s continue…. With the shelter-in-place order that has been given around the world, it is more than likely that you will end up discovering new things about yourself , new hobbies will form, new recipes will be attempted, life will sort of “Reset”. Embrace it, especially at a time like this. I will say that this has been my reality thus far. My life was certainly in a whirlwind prior to the start of this pandemic (I’ll speak more about this in another post). This quarantine has allowed me to realign,to be welcoming to things that I am sure that I may been dismissive to in the past. So far, I’ve found a new love for plants during this quarantine. If you know me, you know that I buy myself a new bouquet of flowers every Sunday . I have this dream of one day owning my very own floral boutique. However, plants have become a huge part of my new daily routine. I have also began to incorporate new veggies and herbs into my recipes. Now this is a big deal for me, and if you know me, you know that I am very much against trying new things when it comes to food. I have been making breakfast, lunch and dinner 7 days a week, finding a love for : scallions tomatoes red cooking wine white wine vinegar fresh dill and thyme I have also swapped out watching tv and scrolling through my social media apps for reading physical copies of books and customizing my blog. I have also been falling back in love with my natural coils and listening to some amazing podcast. (I’ll certainly be writing a separate post about this). Although we are all in such a weird space right now, I pray that we will all get through this and remain both sane and healthy in the process. I highly encourage you all to take this time to practice faith and gratitude, to re-align, to clear all negative thoughts, detox your soul, pray and discover peace, plant new roots. I’m going to close out this post by reminding you all to stay safe. Please only make your way outside if you really need to. Head outside only if you need to make a grocery run, head to a doctor’s appointment that is deemed necessary for an office visit, a trip to the pharmacy (only if your pharmacy does not offer mail orders) and of course if you are an essential worker and need to report to work. Remember to stay at least 6 feet away from others around you, please not touching of the face and always wash your hands for a minimum of 20 seconds or more. Sending love and light to you and your loved ones during a crisis such as this. We will prevail, we always do ! With love, #Premed #Pandemic #publichealth #medicine #COVID19 #healthcare

Hey guys ! Welcome to EllexCeeology ! My purpose for creating this blog was to allow you all to get a glance into my world. For starters, let’s talk about the name “EllexCeeology” For my readers who are not in the Healthcare industry, this bit of medical terminology may seem a little foreign to you, but here we go: -Ology “The suffix -Ology is commonly used to denote a field of study. Example: Anthropology – The study of Humans Biology- The study of Life and living organisms Cardiology- The study of the Heart Now that we have that out of the way, the term EllexCeeology signifies “The study of me” (L.C. or Elle Cee). That’s right, my nickname has a nickname (Lol). This definitely shows how extra and over the top I really am. Here are some other fun facts about me that will certainly give you a better understanding on just the type of person that I am. Hope you enjoy ! As outgoing as I am, ya girl is introverted AF ! This is so weird to me because I love having fun and being the life of the party but I’m also pretty shy and chill. I’m a people’s person but then I’m also not at the same time. Mad weird, but those of you who can relate know exactly what I’m talking about. August Leo : because July Leo’s just don’t give the Leo Zodiac life like we do, Period ! I was born and raised in NYC ! Hello Brooklyn !! Need I say more? I am a huge Pizza lover. I must add, Felini’s pizza here in Atlanta is the closest pizza that I’ve found to NYC’s pizzerias. For this, I am grateful. I have a 10 year old Shih- Tzu that I have conversations with daily as if he can talk back. If you’re a dog mom, you know….. they do talk back and they do understand us. (Not up for debate) Obsessed with all things Pink and Green. Wine Connoisseur ( but don’t get it twisted, Margarita me please and thanks at any given time) I am an overachiever. I get very overwhelmed when I’m doing a lot at once but then I’m just as frustrated when I’m not doing enough to keep me busy. ( I know, mad weird) Obsessed with flowers and plants. I have big dreams of one day owning my very own floral boutique. Jesus Lover ! God first and everything else follows after him. I love all things home decor related. Interior design tugs at both my heart and my wallet. I dislike math (rolls eyes) My Mental health therapist SAVED MY LIFE ! “Wipe me down” is literally my favorite song and I’m sure it’ll be the first song on my wedding playlist. My absolute favorite holiday is Christmas. This is one tradition that I’ve adopted from my family back home. Pinterest plays a huge part in my daily life. I have over 10 tattoos. I am the biggest motivator to those around me but I am my biggest downfall when it comes to rooting for myself. I try to live a life based on optimism but I can be super pessimistic at times. I’ll somehow convince myself that my goals are too big to be fulfilled or I’ll catch myself comparing my journey to someone else’s ( Yea, lets not do this Ok?!) It’s so easy to let anxiety, worry, or fear distract you from your big picture or end goal. This is something I work on daily because this is no way for anyone to think. We are on here on earth for a purpose and I refuse to allow myself to miss out on my blessing because I was too afraid to take a chance. My family and friends mean the world to me. This journey that I’ have embarked on isn’t only for me, this is for them too ! Drop a comment below if you find some similarities between us or if you feel what I’m saying sis ! #Premed #medicalschool #sheshed #science #physician #healthcare #futuredoctor