A Bit About Jordyn Hi! My name is Jordyn Huecker, and I am a second-year medical student at Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine. I grew up in Crystal River, Florida, a super tiny town on the Gulf Coast of Florida. My family moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, when I was starting high school, and that’s where I consider my home. I grew up playing softball year-round and spending time on the water with my parents and three younger siblings. I love exploring Utah and doing pretty much anything outdoors. Hiking, skiing and pickleball are some of my current favorites! The Path to Medicine I have always loved science and found it was one of the subjects in which I excelled throughout school. My mom is a pediatric occupational therapist, and I spent a lot of time when I was a kid going to work with her, so I knew pretty early on that I wanted to do something in the medical field. I loved seeing the impact that she was able to make in the lives of her patients and their families, and I knew that I wanted to make that same type of difference someday. I was fortunate enough to shadow doctors in different specialties and fell in love with medicine and all the opportunities it provides to have a positive impact in the lives of others. I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where I majored in psychology with minors in chemistry and neuroscience. I took a few years off after finishing at UNC before going back for medical school. For my first year out of college, I worked as a medical scribe for an OB/GYN and absolutely loved my experience. After that, I worked at Duke Hospital for a year doing research in the cancer center. Both of those experiences really solidified for me that medical school and a career as a doctor was the right path for me! I was drawn to Noorda by the flexibility that is offered to students as part of our pod learning model, and when I completed my interview, I felt like the faculty at Noorda truly cared about me as an individual. I love being part of a new program that is continually evolving and incorporating student feedback to improve and train us to be the best physicians possible. I love the versatility that family medicine offers as a specialty. My experiences have shown me that I love different aspects of different specialties, such as women’s health, mental health and sports medicine, and I love that a career in family medicine allows you to experience so many different things. I have always envisioned myself living in a small town and being the prominent physician in the community that everybody trusts with their concerns. Pursuing a career in family medicine won’t limit me to just practicing inside one box, but rather, I’ll be able to treat a wide variety of conditions and have a lasting impact on my patients. I want to be the go-to resource for all my patients in the community for any and all needs, and want my patients to rest assured knowing they’ll have a great experience with me. Advice for Pre-Meds and Young Med Students Keep going! Medical school can be really challenging, and it can be really hard to not fall victim to imposter syndrome or comparing yourself to others around you. Embrace the hard moments as opportunities for growth and remember that everyone else is also in the same boat. You’re on this journey for a reason, and all of the hard work is going to pay off in the end! Don’t give up on the goal and keep aspiring to become an amazing physician for your future patients. STUDENT SPOTLIGHT Jordyn Huecker 30
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