Wooster student gains hands-on medical experience during micro-fellowship
Delani Patterson ’25, a student-designed public health major and Africana studies minor at 69ֱ, served as a health assistant at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, a Michigan-based summer camp, this past summer.The position allowed Patterson to combine herpassion forhealthcare whilesupporting others in a creative, community-centered environment.Throughoutthe Micro Fellowship,Pattersonprovided hands-on careandperformedmedical assessmentsfor the campers and staff at Blue Lake,gettingcloserto working in the medical field.
“This experience helped me realize that I am tougher than I previously thought.”
— Delani Patterson ’25
FINDING OPPORTUNITIES
I’malso apart of thepublichealthpathway program at Wooster, and Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp was one of the possible experiential learning opportunitiesrecommendedto me by the program.I told one of my professors about the job opportunity, and she recommended that I apply for the Micro Fellowship.While the experience was tough,bothmentallyand physically,it taught me a lot about myself and allowed me to growin multipleways. Theexercises that the Micro Fellowship had me complete before and during the opportunity helped me recognize which skills I developed andexpandedduring the experience.
LESSONS LEARNED
I learned about the importance of transferring knowledge. While I did go through training, this year at camp was unique due to some of the illnesses that were being seen.My supervisors, Karin andChiamaka, co-directors at the lodge, guided me, and the other health assistants, with theirpreviousexperience as health assistants for different treatments and situations. However, because of the unique health circumstances the camp experienced this summer, we all had to use ourpreviouspersonal experiencesto help us through tough situations.
EXPANDED PERSPECTIVE
I loved being able to bounce betweendifferent roleswithin the lodge and work with my coworkers to create unique care plans for patients. Each day, Ialternatedtaking treatments for campers and staff, working at the front deskto checkpatients in,checkingand distributing medications that were brought by campers, andmonitoringthe admitted patients in the lodge.
WHAT’S NEXT
This experience helped me realize that I am tougher than I previously thought. Due to the mental and physical toughness of the environment, the team found the experienceto be onewe all struggled to finish. However, we all worked together to motivate each other and create plansforunexpectedsituations.This job helped me realize that I enjoy and want to continue to workina team environment where we work together toserveand advocate formembers in the community.
Featured image: Delani Patterson ’25 completed an APEX Micro Fellowship at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp over the summer. Photo provided by subject.
Posted in Experiential Learning, Showcase Stories 2025 on August 6, 2025.
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