Most students don’t attend classes, work at two hospitals and remain involved with more than four extracurriculars, but Abbey Renner does.
Renner, a biomedical science senior, works at INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center, 3300 N.W. Expressway, as well as Mercy Hospital, 4300 W. Memorial Road.
Renner has worked at INTEGRIS in the post-anesthesia care unit as a transporter since the beginning of her junior year.
“I take patients to their rooms and help out the nurses,” she said.
Renner is also a scribe at Mercy Hospital in the emergency room, where she takes notes on patient-physician interactions.
“I just got the position two weeks ago, and I’m really excited about it,” she said.
A career in science has always been her goal, Renner said.
“Initially, I thought I wanted to go to PA school, but then with more shadowing experience, I decided that the medical field had more of what I wanted to do,” she said.
Renner will take a gap year after graduation to apply for medical school, and she will take her Medical College Admission Test in May.
Renner said she took these jobs to get experience for medical school.
“I think just working in the job that I have at a hospital has really humbled me and kind of directed my path,” she said.
Renner said time management is important with her tight schedule.
“It’s been a struggle,” she said. “I’ve found a way to be really involved on campus, but I live out of my planner and learned how to set priorities and pick where my time goes to.”
Renner has on-campus obligations, as well as off-campus.
“I’ve been involved in honors, Tri Beta, New Student Orientation, Gamma Phi Beta, and dabbled in other things here and there,” she said. “Those are the things that really made an impact on my time at OCU.”
Renner said the biology department at OCU prepared her for post-grad life.
“I love OCU, and I am really thankful for everything it’s given me, but it feels like it’s time to move on,” she said. “But that’s because OCU has prepared me so well that I feel ready to go out and take on the real world.”
Dr. Helen Gaudin, associate dean of and professor of biology, and Dr. Anthony Stancampiano, associate professor of biology, impacted Renner’s education, she said.
“Dr. Gaudin’s biochemistry class has been one of the most challenging courses I’ve ever had, but it’s been really rewarding,” she said. “And I’ve traveled around with Dr. Stancampiano to Yellowstone and Alaska, and he inspired me to think about science besides medicine.”
Renner said students should appreciate their time in college.
“If you take advantage of your time here, you will get the most out of it,” she said.
Dominique Kopecky, cell and molecular biology senior, said she has a lot of respect for Renner.
“A serious student and a sweet person,” Kopecky said. “She has been someone who I have felt to be more accepting of me than any other student within our major field.”
By Web Editor Jessica Vanek
Contributing: Nicole Waltman, Editor-in-chief
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