Building on Bradley’s Foundation

By Matt Hawkins

Bradley health science alumnus Justin Lee ’16 relies on his undergraduate education almost every day as a student in physician assistant school. Hilltop experiences built his academic and patient care skills as he tries to ace difficult exams in classes or assists patients in the emergency room.

Faculty wisdom helped Lee through his first semester in the Cleveland State University-Tri-C PA program. The semester, known to weed out students through rigorous studies, included a pathophysiology course. On one difficult exam, Lee recalled a lecture given by Bradley biology professor Craig Cady to navigate an important exam.

“I panicked at first, but I remembered sitting in a Dr. Cady lecture on the very topic,” Lee said. “I figured out the answer and realized my preparation at Bradley paid off. It was the foundation I needed for my career.”

Following a year of courses, Lee entered 10 months of clinicals. He started 2018 in the emergency room, where he faced life-or-death situations. Sometimes he helped save lives with physicians. Other times, efforts went for naught. On one patient, he spent 15 minutes giving chest compressions while his team gave medicine, but the patient died.

“It was gut-wrenching when the doctor pronounced the time of death,” he said. “Like any health care professional, I wanted to save every life that came to me. It shook my world because I realized life is short. I could do everything and it still wouldn’t be enough.”

As clinicals move into other settings — general surgery, internal medicine and pediatrics, to name a few — Lee expects his background will continue to be valuable. As an undergraduate, he sampled physical therapy, occupational therapy and medicine. Internships and simulations gave him a taste of these potential career paths. This breadth is why he chose health science medical training instead of a narrowly focused degree.

“Health science helped me discover my interests and figure out what I truly wanted,” he said. “Once I found what I liked in medicine, I could pursue my aspirations with full confidence.”

Physician assistant school appealed because PA training is flexible despite its rigor. Lee can switch between specialties without requiring extra years of medical residencies. The job market also is favorable, according to Forbes magazine, which listed the career among the publication’s “Most Promising Jobs” in recent years.

Additionally, Lee appreciated research opportunities that piqued his curiosity and developed critical thinking skills for the professional world. He worked with biology lecturer Ted Fleming as a freshman and continued research under his guidance through graduation.

“I wouldn’t be where I am without faculty like Prof. Fleming,” Lee said. “He saw me grow from a timid freshman to a confident senior presenting my research to faculty and classmates. Having a personal relationship with an experienced mentor is what made Bradley so valuable.”