Maddie Moser’23Maddie Moser’23 is no stranger to medically underserved communities. Originally from a rural community in Alaska, Maddie grew up so far from a hospital that getting there required a two-hour drive or a helicopter flight. As a student at Beloit College, Maddie learned about underserved communities close to campus while getting hands-on experience in a clinical setting.

Maddie spent a summer interning at HealthNet of Rock County after her junior year. She got experience all across the organization, shadowing patient examinations, taking blood pressure measurements, counting pills in the pharmacy, and helping with patient notes. More than that, she learned about the patient-focused values and culture of the clinic. “This clinic believes in quality over quantity. That’s not something you see in a typical clinical setting, and it opened my eyes. At HealthNet, we took the time we needed to give the care that was needed.”

Maddie also spoke about the mentorship she received from the doctors and administrators on staff. Maddie’s supervising physician taught her that “Patients are the best storyteller you are going to find for that patient.” Maddie observed that communication skills are best learned in practice. “Being able to listen is a skill you are told your whole life to practice, but sometimes it doesn’t click until you have a certain experience. For me, this was it.”

How did Maddie learn about this opportunity? The CEO of HealthNet, Ian Hedges, is a Beloit College alum who regularly shares opportunities with Beloit College. These opportunities are then sent out to students through the Health & Healing Career Channel. Close mentorship from Prof. Rachel Bergstrom and Prof. Ron Watson led to Maddie exploring options and choosing an opportunity that was right for her. The Health Professional Advising Committee continues to advise Maddie on her next steps as she explores graduate programs to become a physician’s assistant or specialize in anesthesiology.

Maddie presented about this experience at the 2023 Beloit College Student Research Symposium.