Duke Master’s Student Message to Undergrads: Embrace the Unknown

Now in her first semester as a graduate student in Duke University’s Physician Assistant Program, Isabelle (Belle) Penn ’19 has some advice for students beginning their undergraduate journey at Dominican University of California: Embrace and seek out opportunities you may not normally consider.

“Sometimes those opportunities can lead to an undiscovered passion and even if they don't, I think part of figuring out what you want to do is also figuring out what you don’t want to do,” Belle says. “Don't shy away from something just because you've never done it before or don't think it'd be interesting!”

When Belle, who attended nearby Novato High School after moving from Colorado to California, was searching for a college she discovered that she would not have to go far to find a university that provided exactly what she was seeking: community, opportunity, and a strong science program. 

She was drawn to Dominican’s small class sizes and proximity to her home and family. Being recruited to play NCAA Division II soccer was another major plus – and one that made the high school-to-college transition easy.

“Being part of an athletic team really helped me find "my people" early on,” she recalls. 

At Dominican, Belle also found room to grow. Her community expanded when she started volunteering for the Institute for Leadership Studies lecture series. She quickly became an active member of the Dominican community, working as both an orientation leader and a peer tutor.

“Those opportunities all helped me connect with staff and faculty, including people outside of the science department.”

Belle initially enrolled as a biology major but changed her major to chemistry the second semester of her sophomore year after working in Dr. Tyler Johnson’s lab.

Dominican’s research-intensive science curriculum allows faculty to use undergraduate research as a training tool, preparing students to work on specific topics beginning their first year at the university.

As a chemistry major, Belle participated in the research course series as part of Dr. Tyler Johnson's lab. The research focused on marine natural products and their potential effect on specific cancer cells lines. The experience in the lab taught Belle about both the research process and teamwork – as well as the profound impact a mentor can have on a student’s academic journey.

“Dr. Johnson served as both my research mentor and my faculty advisor, and he continuously challenged me to push myself academically in ways I probably wouldn't have without his support and guidance,” Belle recalls.

“He is actually a big reason I made the jump from being a biology major to a chemistry major, and I think being a chemistry major actually strengthened my application to PA school.”

With future career goals in mind, she also added a minor in psychology. 

“I chose to minor in psychology because it was a really interesting topic to me after taking a high school psychology class and knowing I wanted to eventually pursue higher education in a healthcare field, I felt like psychology was not only useful but helped round out my portfolio.”

Belle’s career decision also evolved through her involvement in the Kaiser Pre-Med Mentorship program.

Established in 2009, each year students are selected to join the Kaiser Pre-Med Mentor Program. This gives students in-depth exposure to the medical field so they can make a more informed choice when choosing medicine as a career path. Each student is matched with a mentor, a Marin County Kaiser Permanente Physician. Student and mentor meet on a regular basis throughout the year. In addition, the program offers students the opportunity to explore a variety of specialties through numerous rotations, including emergency medicine, surgery, primary care, and pediatrics.

Participating in the Kaiser Pre-Med Mentor Program helped Belle narrow down exactly what she wanted to do after graduation.

“The Kaiser mentorship program gave me an opportunity to shadow clinicians once a week during my junior year and that is really what solidified my decision to pursue a career as a healthcare provider, but it also gave me the chance to see the day to day differences between an MD and a PA, so it was really helpful in understanding what I was "signing up for," so to speak.”

Through Dominican, Belle was selected for the Atlantis Pre-Med Shadowing program, which is an opportunity to shadow clinicians abroad.

“I got to spend four weeks in Zagreb, Croatia shadowing mostly physicians. That really helped provide a unique outlook on healthcare, and I am grateful for that opportunity.”

Belle’s commitment to community service, such as volunteering at RotaCare Bay Area, reinforced her desire to pursue a career as a physician assistant. 

“This was my first true 'patient care experience,' and it was the first time I felt I could make a tangible impact through healthcare,” she recalls. “This also played a big role in my decision to pursue a career as a PA.”

Student services administrator Victoria Worch was chapter advisor of Dominican’s Alpha Epsilon Delta Pre-Health Honors Society when Belle was the society’s treasurer. Worch recalls Belle’s impact on other students, which included sharing tips for balancing academics and athletics.

“Belle played on the women's soccer team and made sure other athletes who studied science knew they could do sports and do well in school,” Worch recalls. “I appreciated all she did at DUC. I am excited for her next chapter in her education!”