Hannah Strei '21
University of South Dakota School of Medicine
Vermillion, South Dakota
Biology Major
Q: What did you appreciate about the learning opportunities available to you in Sioux Falls?
A: As someone who was interested in pursuing a career in medicine, Sioux Falls was a wonderful place to experience health care first hand. As a growing city with two major hospital systems, a VA hospital and community health clinics, there were many ways to immerse yourself in medicine as an employee or a volunteer. When I first entered college, I thought the only way to experience health care was by getting a job in the field. I quickly learned through joining clubs and talking with advisors, getting exposure in health care was easier than expected and the opportunities were endless. Being able to create your own unique path through working and serving in different settings diversified my view on health care and helped me declare where exactly in medicine I found calling.
What I found interesting is that just because it is a health care facility, doesn't mean you just have to be a nursing major or on the pre-med path. The health care industry provides job opportunities for a variety of majors. It comes down to finding the right opportunity that aligns with a career you want to pursue. It was fun to see classmates who were business, communications or exercise science majors in hospital halls — all of us passionate about our work.
Q: Will you tell us about when you first realized or confirmed you were pursuing your calling?
A: When thinking back to what confirmed my calling into medicine, I think of a progression that started when I first became lifeguard certified in high school. I wanted to know exactly what goes wrong in the body for medical emergencies to occur. I was fascinated by the science behind the condition, which led me to choose Augustana and biology as my major. My path was unique in that I did not change my major during my college career. However, a decision I struggled with was what professional career I wanted to pursue, specifically M.D. or P.A. The Sophomore Retreat (through Campus Ministry) is where I found clarity. The opportunity to have a weekend surrounded by your peers and talking about your passions and fears in small groups and individually was almost therapeutic. My classmates may have not had a similar career goal or major, but having conversations centered on passion, calling and service helped me clarify exactly why I wanted to pursue a career in medicine. I found that it was because I wanted to be a leader in patient’s care plans a leader in the facility that I worked in, and someone who would be recognized as a physician, but also a teammate is exactly why I chose to pursue medical school.
Q: Describe your favorite class or faculty member at AU. What made the advising or mentoring you received at Augustana valuable?
A: My favorite class that I took during my time at Augustana was "Abnormal Psychology." I had never taken a class that combined something concrete (the criteria for diagnosis of a condition) with something abstract (the complexity of the mind). I found this course so interesting because you were able to see the manifestations of these disorders in readings, case studies, movies and class discussions. The professor did an awesome job of fostering an environment of learning and a place to ask questions.