Below are a selection of presentations, papers, and other projects from LIS 4934 and previous classes
Event Report
The healthcare field is vast and ever expanding, with careers ranging from nursing, physical therapy, genetic counseling, and even athletic training. All of these careers work together in the medical field to ensure that patients receive the best care from a team of professionals. The University of South Florida (USF) offers many opportunities for students who are interested in healthcare, and many events are offered throughout the year to help undergraduate students network with healthcare professionals and recruiters who offer admission to medical graduate and doctoral programs.
On October 14th, 2025, I attended the “Step Into Scrubs: Interactive Clinical Skills & Health Career Expo”, hosted by USF’s Pre-Health Professions Advising team. This event took place in the Marshall Center’s ballrooms and ran from 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM. I personally attended the event from 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM. This is one of the first events of its kind offered at USF, since it was a hands-on expo for all students who attended. Aside from USF, representatives from colleges such as Nova Southeastern, Barry University, and Alice Walton School of Medicine were present. All colleges that attended this event had information about their respective health programs (such as pharmacy, physical therapy, nursing, etc.) along with activities for students to partake in. Each program was separated by tables as well. Some of the activities available for students include: basic CPR training, ultrasound simulations, suturing, and other healthcare skills.
In the future, I intend to apply to medical school and work towards becoming a psychiatrist. Therefore, I attended this event to learn more about the medical school admission process at USF and other universities. I also wanted to learn more about adjacent healthcare fields, so that I am informed about the alternative career paths that are available to me.
The one skill demo that resonated with me the most was the physical therapy demo, which was hosted by Nova Southeastern University (NSU). At the NSU table, there were a set of tools (modified everyday items, such as a toothbrush with a plastic grip for easier handling) laid on the representative’s table. I approached the physical therapy table to inquire more about the physical therapy program offered by NSU. After explaining the admission process, the representative asked me to participate in the Nine-Hole Peg Test, which is used by physical therapists to test a patient’s coordination skills (Shirey Ryan AbilityLab, 2022).
In order to complete the task, the patient is asked to place nine pegs inside of a pegboard as quickly as possible. The patient is only allowed to pick up and place one pegboard at a time. Then, once all nine pegs are placed, the pegs needed to be removed and placed back into their original spot; this also must be completed one at a time (Shirey Ryan AbilityLab, 2022). I was able to complete this task while the representative timed me. I scored within the normal range (which is 17 to 21 seconds). After I completed the task, the representative asked me more about my interest in psychiatry. She informed me that physical therapy and mental health are intertwined, and pointed out the strong connection between psychiatry and physical therapy to me, which is something that I did not fully consider until that moment.
Overall, this event was very educational and gave me a better idea of the many career opportunities that are available to me as an undergraduate student interested in the healthcare field. While this career expo was not directly related to information studies, some of the strategies that I have learned in my Information Science classes (such as information seeking) can be applied to my experience at the health expo. For example, I found myself intentionally speaking to representatives from career fields that I was interested in. After the expo, I looked up some of the health programs that I saw in-person, and bookmarked them on my laptop for future reference. I hope to apply the knowledge that I gained from this event into my future career journey.
