An interdisciplinary approach to experiences gained outside the Elizabethtown College classroom, ranging from a museum internship in Lancaster to a ceramics workshop in California, is helping Samantha Phillips ’23, a Biology (Allied Health) major with minors in Psychology and Studio Art, discern her career path as a Physician Assistant.
With her Honors Senior Thesis focused on non-traditional approaches to ceramics including altering clay following the throwing process, Phillips jumped on an opportunity in early October 2022 to learn from one of her favorite potters, Andrew Clark during a two-day ceramics workshop in Pasadena, Calif.
“Art and ceramics have been an important part of my experience at Elizabethtown College, as a Biology major,” Phillips said. “Having the opportunity to showcase my growth as an artist through my Honors Program Senior Thesis is a great example of the flexibility Elizabethtown College offers students, regardless of major.”
Phillips created uniquely thrown and assembled objects alongside Clark, learning about various techniques including using stamps to alter clay, the creation of moveable pieces, and throwing pieces for assembly into multi-part sculptures.
The workshop allowed Phillips the perfect opportunity to grow as an artist, learn new techniques, and take away benefits that will translate to her future career in the healthcare field.
Locking jar ceramic artwork created by Samantha Phillips
Phillips has also had the opportunity to gain multidisciplinary experience in healthcare through working full-time at Harrisburg Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic and a summer internship at Lancaster Medical Heritage Museum.
“Samantha is an excellent example of how students can blend both pre-professional program education and the liberal arts at Etown,” Dean of the School of Sciences Jodi Lancaster said.
As a Senior Patient Care Technician at Harrisburg Hospital, Phillips gained direct patient care experience with a wide range of patients from a variety of backgrounds while working in a full-time capacity from the spring of 2020 to the winter of 2021, as well as during the summer of 2021.
“These opportunities have helped expose me to various areas of health care and have helped me shape my career goals as a future Physician Assistant,” Phillips said. “I am appreciative of the opportunities I have had while at Etown to explore my interests as opportunities arise, regardless of what program they might fall into. I expect that these experiences will help me as I fill roles in my community as a Physician Assistant, regardless of the specialty.”
Phillips has been able to combine her interests in art and healthcare through an internship for her Public Heritage Studies certificate and was named the 2022 Wellspan Internship winner with the Lancaster Medical Heritage Museum this past summer.
In her role, Phillips helped prepare the museum for its winter opening by digitizing its archives and assisting with website design. The internship allowed her to learn about the historical medical tools and equipment the museum had in its collections. In addition to working at the museum, Phillips had the opportunity to complete independent research exploring women’s reproductive health in the Plain community.
Phillips has since taken on a volunteer position with the museum and is currently coordinating the installation of anatomy-inspired artwork by Etown students. She also finds time in her busy schedule to provide a leadership role on campus, serving as a Kinesis Peer Academic Mentor with the Momentum Program where she helps guide and support first-generation students as they navigate their first year at the College.
By taking an interdisciplinary approach to her learning, both inside and outside of the classroom, and through the flexibility that her Etown education has allowed, Phillips is specially prepared for her future career.
“Physician Assistants are trained as generalists to fill needs in the community, regardless of specialty, and to improve quality of care among underrepresented groups,” Phillips explained. “I am confident my experiences at Elizabethtown College have helped to prepare me to do just that.”