Managing mental health needs for patients
July 24, 2020 Written by Jessica Smith | Photo provided by Shelby Miller
They say if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Sophomore medical diagnostics major Shelby Miller knows it to be true.
In summer 2019, Miller applied to the Mind and Body Consortium in Summer 2019. She interviewed for a position but didn’t receive a job offer. “They encouraged me to try and build my resume and consider reapplying after my 18th birthday,” she says. “I knew they saw potential in me, so I decided not to give up. I reapplied in November and received a call in December offering me a job as a part-time receptionist in the Dover location.”
Miller says her job duties evolved quickly. Starting as a receptionist, she spoke with business owner and founder Lisa Leidy and staff psychiatrist Dr. David Kalkstein about her interest in the medical field. They recommended that she learn how to administer Vivitrol injections. After campus closed early in spring, Miller was trained to do intake, receiving referrals and setting up patients with providers that matched their needs and insurance. Since June 1, she has worked as a scribe.
“Since working at the Mind and Body Consortium, I have acquired skills of working with an EHR system, answering phones, interacting with patients, giving intramuscular injections, administering TMS treatments and mappings, along with taking manual blood pressure and recording vitals,” Miller says. “I have also learned how to order blood work, submit prior authorizations and take care of prescription refill requests.”
However, the Mind and Body Consortium had to make drastic changes due to the pandemic. “COVID-19 has significantly impacted my job,” she says. “In mid-March, we began the process of preparing to offer home tele-health appointments for those who are immunocompromised or have family members that are. We still have clients coming into the office, so we had to start wearing masks and being sure to sanitize our rooms more frequently and thoroughly. We also had a number of new clients coming to our practice due to the additional stress and anxiety caused by the virus.”
Miller credits her Language of Medicine and Anatomy and Physiology course, as well as the integrated biology and chemistry program for teaching her essential skills for her job. “I feel that the skills I learned through poster presentations and podcast assignments have really allowed me to communicate more effectively to patients,” she says. “Those assignments often required us to think outside of the box and challenge ourselves to explain science to the non-scientists, which has come in handy when explaining things to patients.”
Staying organized is Miller’s top priority. “I’m currently taking two summer courses in addition to working, and I would be lying if I said I don’t get overwhelmed at times,” she says. “Making lists each day of what I need to do as far as school and work has allowed me to successfully manage my time.”
It also helps that she has an understanding mentor who has been in her position before. “My boss Lisa has undergone several secondary education programs all while running a business, so she understands the importance and rigor of college courses,” says Miller. “Without an employer like her, I don’t think I would be able to be as successful in terms of juggling both work and school.”
Despite the challenges of job and internship searching in this climate, Miller urges other UD students to find professional experience opportunities while in school. “It’s super important to start networking now so you have those contacts later on down the line when you’re searching for a job in the field,” she says. “I believe the earlier you start obtaining professional experience, the better. And for pre-med students, the more patient contact you get now, the better your bedside manner will be; you’ll become more comfortable and confident.”
After graduation, Miller plans to attend medical school to become an emergency room physician. She advises fellow medical diagnostics to keep an open mind about jobs and internships. “Even though I’m currently working in mental health as opposed to emergency medicine, I’m still receiving so many rewarding experiences that I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world,” she says. “Also, sometimes it’s easier to start in a position such as reception and build yourself up to new positions over time. Take every failure as a learning experience and always keep a positive attitude and be eager to learn new things. Never give up or compare your progress to someone else’s because each experience is different.”