PA Week
For PA Week, Care+Wear is proud to spotlight OSU First Gen Pre-PA, a student organization at The Ohio State University helping future PAs find community as they build their path into healthcare.
Becoming a PA involves more than fulfilling requirements. Students have to find clinical hours, seek out mentorship, navigate applications, and figure out who to ask when the next step is unclear. OSU First Gen Pre-PA gives its members a place to do that together.
Not every student begins with a family member in healthcare or a built-in network to explain the process. A community that can share answers, opportunities, and encouragement can change what feels possible.
The organization welcomes students who are first in their families to attend college, pursue healthcare, or pursue the PA path, along with other pre-health students looking for community. For PA Week, we spoke with three of its student leaders about why they chose this profession and what they hope to bring to it.
Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Meet Macy
Macy Jankowski
President
Senior, Health Sciences
What inspired you to pursue the PA path?
At the heart of the PA profession is the expansion of healthcare accessibility, which makes the role especially meaningful to me. I found the PA profession at the crossroads of scientific curiosity and a passion for change. I am constantly inspired by the people I work with to keep learning and provide the best care I can.
What has your path to becoming a PA been like?
As the first in my family to pursue medicine, the PA path has been a process of constant learning and growth. There have been obstacles, but I have learned to embrace the journey for all that it entails. First Gen Pre-PA has been my base throughout the process. I am grateful to have a supportive group of students alongside me.
What has shaped how you think about care?
Working in the Emergency Department exposed me to some of the hardest moments in people’s lives. In a fast-paced and unpredictable setting, I learned how important it is to provide compassionate care under pressure. I hope to become someone people can trust, especially during vulnerable moments.
What has OSU First Gen Pre-PA made possible for its members?
The organization gives students a community in which they can grow and learn. As a general body member, it became a space for me to ask questions, receive advice, and grow in friendship. Now, I am grateful for the opportunity to lead an organization that helps students break barriers and pursue their path to the PA profession.
Meet Melany
Melany Hernandez
Co-Vice President
Senior, Health Sciences
Minor in Global Public Health
What inspired you to pursue the PA path?
I have always found meaning in helping people and making them feel supported. I knew I wanted to become a healthcare provider where I could build meaningful relationships with patients while caring for them medically. The PA profession felt like the right way to combine my passion for healthcare with my passion for caring for others.
What has your experience as a first-generation student been like?
My journey has included rewarding moments and challenges that pushed me to grow. There were times when I did not know what the next step looked like or who to turn to. Finding community through First Gen Pre-PA meant a great deal to me because I was surrounded by people who understood the journey. It made me feel like I was not walking this path alone.
What experience shaped how you think about care?
Working as a PCA in a Pediatric Emergency Department has shaped how I think about care the most. Caring for children and supporting their families during vulnerable moments showed me that healthcare is about more than treating a patient. It is about being a source of comfort and reassurance when people need it most.
What has OSU First Gen Pre-PA created for its members?
It has created a community that I hold close to my heart. Members find support, encouragement, mentorship, and connections with people who understand what it means to navigate the PA journey. The most meaningful thing we have created is a sense of belonging.
Meet Olivia
Olivia Hendershot
Vice President
Fourth-year, Health Sciences
Minor in Human Anatomy
What inspired you to pursue the PA path?
Growing up in rural Southeast Ohio, I saw how medically underserved my community was. There was a shortage of primary care providers, which meant many people went without care and had unmanaged conditions. I wanted to help address that gap. Over time, I realized I could do that as a PA by providing patient-centered care to people who need it most.
What experience shaped how you think about care?
I have done much of my shadowing in rural and medically underserved communities. During a clinical volunteer trip to Ecuador, I saw providers meet people where they were, educate them about their health in ways they could understand, and work within the resources available to them. That is the type of PA I aspire to become.
What has OSU First Gen Pre-PA made possible for you?
I am not a first-generation college student, but I am the first in my family to pursue healthcare and the PA path. At first, the process was overwhelming because my family and I did not know the next steps. Joining First Gen Pre-PA gave me a community I could turn to for support and resources. It helped me feel like I was in the right place and on the right path.
What do you hope people feel when they receive care from you?
I hope people feel seen and understood. I want to meet them where they are and provide care in a way they can understand. I hope they leave knowing what is happening with their health and how they can apply that information in their own lives.
Care+Wear x OSU First Gen Pre-PA
A partnership for the path ahead
Care+Wear is proud to partner with OSU First Gen Pre-PA because no student should have to find their way into healthcare alone.
Through the partnership, members can access the Care+Wear community and resources as they prepare for the PA path. Every purchase made using code OSU20 gives back to OSU First Gen Pre-PA, helping turn today’s support into more opportunity for future PAs.
Thank you to Macy, Melany, Olivia, and the entire OSU First Gen Pre-PA community for sharing your stories with us.
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