Senior to Senior Series: Jolie Phan ’24
As a senior this year, I have been thinking back on my time here at Chatham. My fellow seniors and I, while eager to walk across the stage, have a lot of memories to recall before it’s time to put on our cap and gown. The Senior to Senior series is an opportunity for graduating students to speak about their time at Chatham and what it means to them.
Check out this “Day in the Life” video from Jolie Phan and read on for more about Jolie’s life at Chatham!
What drew you to attending Chatham?
Jolie Phan (She/Her)
Hometown: Butler, PA
Major: Human Biology Major
Master of Physician Assistant Studies
Chatham gave me a nice scholarship that was better than any other school I’d applied to. I knew I wanted to do medicine, especially the Physician's Assistant track and I heard that Chatham’s school was really good. The campus was so nice, and when I was on my tour, I really liked hearing about campus life, activities and the culture of Chatham. I also think what drew me to Chatham is how it’s tucked away from everyone, and you can be in the city or be away from it.
How did you decide on your major?
Ever since I was a child, I’ve always wanted to do medicine, and I’ve always been passionate about it. So, I knew going into college that I was going to do medicine. I didn’t figure out that I would do specifically PA until my senior year of high school, but honestly, I’ve always known I wanted to do it.
What do you like most about your programs of study?
My favorite part of the program and what sets Chatham aside is the problem-based learning. I really like that type of learning; it’s more self-directed. They’ll give you a case, introduce the case, and as you go through the case, come up with things you think it might be. The more you go through your case, you come up with problems. From those problems, you direct yourself in learning outside of class and learn the components you didn’t know, and then you apply it to class. I really like that kind of learning; you get to immerse yourself in it and be a part of the clinical process. It’s more satisfactory for me to learn something and get to go home and research it.
What is something you’ve learned from your programs that are important to you?
I’ve really learned to work hard. In high school I breezed through, and I underestimated college a bit. I had to put work in and learn time management, responsibility, and having a good work ethic. From that, I learned how to work hard and get to where I want to be. That’s something that I’ve really gained along the way.
Have you had any cool memories from your biology major?
I really loved Professor Jordan Hooks who was a big part of fostering my understanding of the student-to-professor relationship, and she made me feel comfortable reaching out to professors. There are so many people in the science department that I love, and all of the biology professors have been really nice. I took a cadaver lab over the summer that was one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had, and I learned so much from that. That lab also made me interested in doing things like surgery, since you get to dissect bodies and other cool things.
Can you talk about your experience going into the Integrated Degree Program (IDP) for the Physician’s Assistant graduate program?
I’m in the accelerated program and for me, it was difficult at first because it’s quick-paced. You learn to be efficient and a quick learner that can adapt. I’ve learned a lot about time management. You have to do shadowing, clinical hours, volunteer experience and extracurriculars. I did all of this and worked part-time through everything, and it was difficult, but I gained a lot of experience from it and developed my skills. Being in the program now, I can really see that my hard work paid off. The IDP is really challenging, but worth it in the end.
What is your favorite class that you’ve taken?
It would be the cadaver lab I took, or my PBL capstone class. We work on a case every two and a half weeks, and we work on about four cases a semester. Each class we go through parts of the patient. We go through physical examination, treatment, and then knowledge extractions or what we got from it. It’s fun because there’s only 13 people in my class and we have a nice community where we’re good friends. It’s fun to bounce back on each other. My teacher makes it a really good environment to be in and doing clinical things is a really fun space to be in. It is a lot of information and it’s a lot of self-directed learning outside of class, but I like the fact that it will prepare me for the future.
Can you share how being a part of student organizations or clubs in college influenced your college experience?
The clubs and activities that I did were so extremely formative for me. I’m in the Asian Student Association and I love the ASA. For me, I grew up in Baton Rouge, LA and in Butler, PA in predominately white areas and I never had any friends who were the same ethnicity as me or POC. I felt disconnected from it when I left my house, and I often felt different. I disregarded my culture and ethnicity a lot, until I came to Chatham. Being in the ASA, and meeting people like Komal Kaur really showed me to be proud of where you came from and your differences. It opened my eyes to a new perspective and gave me friends who shared the same experience as me, which is so valuable when you’ve felt isolated. Because of the ASA I’ve become someone who’s super proud of my ethnicity, my culture and where I come from.
One of the things I am most proud of in my time at Chatham was Chatham Palooza. It was so much fun, and it was a different event than anything the ASA had done before. It raised a lot of money, and we were proud of that. It was something I’d always wanted to do to help people in a way that was fun and brings people together. Getting to be a part of leading that is something I'm really proud of. This upcoming April 2nd, 4-6pm we have a Chai Chat planned and we’re making homemade chai so people can come drink and talk. I really like the events where we can get to know people and talk.
Jolie Phan ’24, middle
Another activity that I’m also on is Chatham’s Cheerleading team. I know there's a stereotype that cheer girls are mean, but I’ve met my friend group through cheer and those girls are the most kind, supportive, funny and amazing people ever. Cheer has become such an outlet for me. I feel like most of the things I did at Chatham were for academics or to further my career, but cheer is something I chose to do for me. I really enjoyed it and met so many people who made me into who I am today. It’s such a supportive environment, and it was so formative for me. Anyone who’s going into college should know joining clubs is how you meet people. Also! I loved working at the Library; Kate Warner is the best boss I've ever had. I loved all the student workers. It was so much fun to work at the front desk.
What are your favorite off-campus activities?
Jolie Phan ’24, middle
My friends and I really like to go on walks through Shadyside and Squirrel Hill. I love Mellon Park and Schenley Park to sit and read when the weather is nice. I also love to eat food, anything on Forbes, I love the Ramen Bar and a more basic choice is that I love Canes. This area has such good food. I love meeting new people and hanging out with my friends.
What would you tell your first-year self?
I would tell myself to say yes to every experience possible. You get to experience so many things if you don’t sit in your room and rot. Go out to meet new people and experience new things! I wish I had ventured out and met more people, and I hadn’t been so scared to reach out and explore the city of Pittsburgh. I stayed on campus a lot and it’s important to do campus activities but also get out more, so you don’t feel stuck. I would also tell myself to do my homework.
What are your plans after graduation?
I’m going right to PA school, and I’m excited. After that, I’m excited to live my life outside of academics because I’ve never experienced that before. I want to move to New York City, and if I don’t end up moving there, I’m excited to experience new things outside of the academic scene and live my life. I’m looking forward to hobbies, travel, and to start my career.
Lirit Gilmore is a Creative Writing and Food Studies student. Lirit’s academic focus is centered in food writing and how it intersects with social location and identity. She is from the DMV and the Midwest, and enjoys baking in her free time. See all her work on Pulse@ChathamU here.