Interview with Admissions Peer Advisor,
Jaclyn Chasse, ND Candidate '07
Interviewed Winter 2007
Jaclyn Chasse is a "peer advisor"– a volunteer who helps Bastyr's Office of Admissions by counseling prospective students as they explore, apply to and begin the naturopathic medicine program. You may have talked to Jaclyn on the phone when you called the admissions office with questions about the program or she may have taken you on your campus tour. Jaclyn is a 26-year-old, fourth-year naturopathic medicine student who has rounded out her education with volunteer and leadership activities around campus and in the greater naturopathic community. She loves to expand her social and professional network and to share her passion for naturopathic medicine with others.
What is your role as a peer advisor at Bastyr?
As a peer advisor, I communicate with prospective students looking into the naturopathic medicine program. This involves answering emails, speaking with people over the phone and meeting in person for advising appointments or campus tours. I remember my own process of discernment when considering graduate and medical programs. And while each person's experience is unique, I can recognize that there are similar challenges -- deciding between naturopathic medical school and other graduate options, deciding between the naturopathic schools, meeting prerequisites, filling out the application and attending the interview, and preparing to begin the program. I hope that by sharing my experience I can make the process easier for others. I also love serving as a peer advisor because the excitement that people have about naturopathic medicine is contagious! Each time I speak to someone new it re-ignites my own passion for health care.
How did you become interested in naturopathic medicine?
I was first exposed to naturopathic medicine when taking a medical anthropology seminar as an undergraduate student at Washington University in St. Louis. I had always wanted to be a physician, but something about the conventional medical system didn't fit with me. When I learned what naturopathic medicine was, it was like finding that missing puzzle piece! I knew it was what I was called to do.
How did you know Bastyr was the right school for you?
I visited the different naturopathic medical colleges, and Bastyr felt like a fit in both my mind and my heart. It was very important to me that the school I attended taught a balance between cutting-edge scientific information and traditional naturopathic modalities. I found this at Bastyr, in addition to a clinical education where I would get to see a lot of patients, including patients from underserved populations. I also loved that Bastyr is near Seattle - I have always been connected to the mountains and the ocean, and you get the best of both here. I am less than an hour away from skiing, hiking, rock climbing and kayaking. I wanted to be able to continue to live in balance and do the things I enjoy.
What is the best part of the academic courses?
The faculty members at Bastyr are amazing. They are so passionate about what they do, whether it is anatomy dissection or interacting with patients. They are really invested in student success. Also, my fellow classmates always amaze me - in this community I am surrounded by people who share a common interest in natural medicine, but each person has a unique passion.
What has your clinical experience been like?
The clinical part of my education is where I've really seen myself grow into a doctor. It's one thing to learn about a condition or a treatment, but another thing entirely to understand how to put that into action when you work with a patient. You learn how to treat the whole person, and you see how the totality of one's life contributes to a person's health. I've really enjoyed working with patients, and now I feel that I'm learning my own style of interacting with patients. It is so rewarding to see someone's health improve with your help, and to see how empowered they become when they learn that they can take control of it.
We have a number of clinic shifts that take place in shelters and community centers and serve special populations. I had a physical medicine shift where we worked mostly with patients with HIV and AIDS. These patients sometimes received supplements and lifestyle advice, but I think that a lot of the time, what brought the patients back and made them feel so much better was the caring touch and a listening ear. I am also really looking forward to this spring. I have a shift where I will be working on an NIH sponsored clinical trial studying naturopathic treatment of ADHD in kids, and a rotation in the oncology ward of a local hospital.
My clinic shifts have been very busy, and I have had the chance to see men, women, adolescents and children, and I have seen a wide variety of conditions. I always look forward to my shifts.
How has your involvement in the community shaped your experience of Bastyr?
I chose to become very involved on campus from the start. I joined Student Council in the fall of my first year. I became the Team Leader for Student Activities on the council, and helped to carry on traditions like Community Day and establish new ones such as Bastyr in the Arts Week. I was also the student representative to the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP) and co-founded the Naturopathic Medical Student Association (NMSA). I've worked in admissions as a peer advisor as well. Working in these capacities has been important to me - it has forced me at times to take a break from studying to do things that give back to the community. It has allowed me to meet students from all disciplines at Bastyr. It also has been a great networking tool to get to know faculty and physicians in our profession. I love walking around campus and knowing most of the people I see - it has provided me with a great network of support people, and I have had the opportunity to work with really amazing people!
What do you see for yourself after graduation?
I am currently applying for a residency position. Right now, only the state of Utah requires a residency position for licensure, but I think it is such a fantastic opportunity to practice in your first year with the support of amazing mentors. There are residency positions available all over the country. Eventually, I would like to relocate back to New England, where I am from. I would like to focus my practice on reproductive health and infertility.
Do you have any advice for incoming students?
I would advise students to consider starting in the summer before your fall matriculation. I did not do this, but I noticed that students who did do this had time to adjust to living in Seattle and being a student rather than trying to do all of that in the fall. If that is an option for you, I would recommend that. On a more personal level, make sure that you take time to continue doing things that are important to you. Also, be patient and compassionate with yourself! In the four years of this program, you will probably be challenged in ways that you couldn't have predicted. When that happens, remind yourself how blessed you are to be putting that work toward fulfilling your dream.
