Rayan Shuja ’25 recounts experience with UAMS
summer internship
CONWAY, Ark. (September 18, 2024) — Hendrix College
student Rayan Shuja ’25 had the opportunity to take part in this summer’s
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Stead Scholars program. The eight-week
paid internship is named after a long-time employee of the Arkansas Department
of Health, William Stead, M.D., and aims to provide scholars with experience in
a hands-on environment as a public health worker.
Shuja, a senior Biochemistry and Molecular Biology major,
learned of the program through his pre-medical program advisors at Hendrix.
“[It] opened my eyes to many alternative careers in the
medical/medical-adjunct field,” Shuja said. “It also showed me the
intersections of governmental actors and private actors and how they work
together for the common good.”
Assignments looked different for each scholar. Shuja’s
work involved searching medical records for epidemiologically significant cases
of a specific disease (toxoplasma gondii).
“I worked to request medical records from hospitals and
performed analysis on the data,” he said. “I also got the opportunity to sit in
on meetings my mentor had, which ranged from collaborative efforts by
epidemiologists in other state departments and the CDC to draft disease
guidelines as well as state level multi-disciplinary health monthly meetings.”
Shuja highlights the benefits of the insights offered
through the Stead Scholars Program: “If you are considering pursuing a career
in public health, this program is definitely the definitive one to give you an
in-depth understanding of the field and a wide view of the many sub-careers in
the field,” he said.
Associate Professor of Biology Dr. Laura MacDonald ’09 speaks
to the value of this program for students: “They really provide a very
complementary and comprehensive research experience that covers varying aspects
of public health. Also, because the projects are often directly focusing on
projects that affect Arkansas citizens, it very much aligns with Hendrix’s
goals to have Hendrix students working on impactful projects that serve their
communities,” she said.
Applications for the Stead Scholars Program are open from
late fall to January. The deadline tends to fall in mid-February. Find out more
at https://healthy.arkansas.gov/resources/about-adh/adh-offices/office-of-the-chief-science-officer/stead-scholars-student-summer-program.
About Hendrix College
Founded in
1876, Hendrix College is featured in Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools
That Will Change the Way You Think About Colleges and celebrated among the
country’s leading liberal arts colleges for academic quality, engaged learning
opportunities and career preparation, vibrant campus life, and value. The
Hendrix College Warriors compete in 21 NCAA Division III sports. Hendrix has
been affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884. Learn more at www.hendrix.edu.
“… Through
engagement that links the classroom with the world, and a commitment to
diversity, inclusion, justice, and sustainable living, the Hendrix community
inspires students to lead lives of accomplishment, integrity, service, and
joy.”
—Hendrix College Statement of Purpose