Establishing Her Own Path
Posted on November 13, 2024 by CAHP
While pursuing an undergraduate degree in biology, Gina Taylor quickly found an interest in healthcare. Now, as a graduate student in the Primary Care Excellence Path program at the University of South Alabama, she is one step closer to her dream of becoming a physician.
The Primary Care Excellence Path is a post-baccalaureate program that prepares students for the rigors of medical school, so they will be more likely to succeed once admitted. Students who successfully complete the program are awarded a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences.
Taylor grew up in Mobile and has spent the last four years teaching secondary science at her alma mater, Blount High School.
Over the years, the more she encouraged her students to chase their dreams, the more she felt inspired to get back to chasing her own, but she needed to improve her score on the Medical College Admission Test.
Taylor was first introduced to the challenges of medical school in 2019 through a summer enrichment program led by the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine. The program was designed to introduce and encourage students to consider careers in medicine.
Several of Taylor’s peers from that program recently graduated from medical school.
“I see my group that I’m supposed to be a part of going through the ropes, and it was hard to watch,” Taylor said. “But it was also very encouraging.”
She visited the Whiddon College of Medicine soon after their graduation ceremony to meet with Dr. LoRen Modisa, director of the Office of Health Advancement, and discuss how she could get back on track in her pursuit of a medical degree. Modisa introduced her to the Primary Care Excellence Path.
She had considered a different path into healthcare, but extra encouragement from her friends and several faculty members in the Whiddon College of Medicine led her to apply to the Primary Care Excellence Path program.
“It was a very humbling experience, but I was very appreciative of it,” Taylor said. “I felt like it was just God-given because it was so ironic how everything fell into place.”
Students selected for the program are provided full tuition support, a stipend during the second summer while they conduct research, supplementary opportunities for MCAT preparation and career mentorship.
During the first summer semester, Taylor and her classmates spent eight weeks completing orientation, taking an advanced physiology class and preparing for the MCAT. That semester gave her the confidence she needed to retake the MCAT.
“I saw great improvement, and my hard work definitely reflected on my score,” Taylor said.
Taylor and her classmates are spending the fall and spring semesters in the classroom completing graduate courses. Next summer, they will shadow physicians at local clinics and hospitals. Additional training prepares students for practicing in underserved communities.
"I aim to be a hands-on physician who communicates with my patients effectively," Taylor said. "I want to ensure that once I take on a case, I follow through and continue to monitor my patients' progress afterward."
Soon, Taylor will be applying for medical school and encourages others who are still chasing their dreams to dig deep and stick with it.
“The time is going to pass whether you go back and achieve your dreams or not,” Taylor said. “If you still have that longing, like ‘I’m missing something,’ go follow your dream.”