For years, senior Marlowe Lynch knew she wanted to someday work in the medical field. Now, soon to graduate high school, Lynch has acquired experience in medical workplaces.

During her sophomore year of high school, Lynch signed up for the school’s three year long Health Science class taught by health science teacher, Tami Beall.

“I chose to be in the class because I wanted to see what working in the healthcare field was really like and to get more exposure,” Lynch said.

In the third year of the class, students are given the opportunity to become certified nurse aides after in-class and on-site training. 

“I got to see lots of cool things that many people don’t see until nursing or medical school,” Lynch said. “I learned that I really do want to go into the medical field, even more than before I joined this class.”

For about three months during the first semester of her senior year, Lynch and her classmates spent three hours every other day shadowing doctors, nurses and other medical workers at Cedar Park Regional Medical Center, a nearby hospital. 

“I loved being able to watch a surgery when we went to the hospital,” Lynch said. “I also learned so much from the nurses that worked there.”

The second half of the semester, Lynch and classmates spent their class time at a long term care facility with CNA’s, nurses and physical therapists to observe and help the residents in order to prepare for the certification test.

“I enjoyed going to the long term care facility because I felt like I was really helping the residents and that they liked when we were there,” Lynch said. “I felt like I was making a difference there.”

After graduating, Lynch will be attending Texas A&M University in the fall, and majoring in Biochemistry, with plans of going to medical school to work in pediatrics as either a pediatrician or a physician’s assistant.

“I learned that helping others is a passion of mine and that it is something I want to do every day for my career,” Lynch said. “From this class, you can see if the healthcare field is something that you’d be really interested in, and you can learn so much from the patients and healthcare workers.”