Beloiter Days kicked off Friday, Sept. 18, bringing in a flood of alumni and several events, which served to livened up the campus and provided networking opportunities between alumni and current students.
One such alumnus, Meshach Roberts’19, was the man of the hour for a lunch event during the common hour in Room 107 of the Science Center. The event was organized by Department Chair of Chemistry and Biochemistry Kristin J. Labby.
For those who RSVP’d, the provided lunch was a choice between an Italian or veggie sub, with either beets or chips as a side. Of the eight attendees, only four RSVP’d for lunch. Several students from Beloit’s School of Health Sciences were in attendance, as well as a few staff members, who were excited for the opportunity to meet with Dr. Roberts again.
Dr. Roberts, originally from the Bahamas, graduated from Beloit in 2019, having studied both Spanish and biology. During his time at the college, he worked as the captain of the swim team and was a founding member of the college’s African Caribbean Society.
After Beloit, he went to Carroll University and worked as a strength coach for two years, before making the choice to go to school for physical therapy at Texas Women’s University. From undergrad to doctorate, his education totalled nine years. During the event he referred to this career path as a detour, since attending PT school straight from undergrad is an option.
The 50-minute session mainly consisted of discussions regarding the career path required for those with goals of becoming a physical therapist. He gave practical advice to students who were interested in pursuing a career in the health sciences, and provided resources and recommendations for finding jobs and internships.
Dr. Roberts recommended going straight into the job of physical therapist rather than working as a physician’s assistant as many people tend to do straight out of school. Dr. Roberts explained that the role of physician’s assistant is dying out, in part due to the high demand for physical therapists. More schools producing more physical therapists means less need for PTAs. With the speed at which things move in the medical field, it is becoming more important for students to get into the industry as soon as they are able, and as efficiently as possible.
Assistant Director of Career Works Emily Sager was also cited by Dr. Roberts as a good source of information in finding a career path. Sager, who was in attendance at the lunch event, was stated to have a folder of resources dedicated to physical therapy. Additionally, she credited Dr. Roberts with teaching her much of what she knows about the topic. For students looking to gain practical experience, she said, “I know Rock County health department is always looking for volunteers.”
Speaking on his time working as a strength and conditioning coach, Dr. Roberts jokingly said, “If you want to wake up at 4 a.m. and scream at people, I’d recommend strength & conditioning.” He referred to this part of his career fondly, explaining that the bulk of his work consisted of working with students from local schools and adults between their forties and eighties who were looking to reach their personal goals in improving their health and athleticism.
In choosing a school at which to study medicine, Dr. Roberts suggests listing the things that you value most in a school, and using that as a starting point.
“One of the biggest things is finance,” Dr. Roberts said. “I wouldn’t break the bank to try to go to number one. I’d look more into what people have said and the pass rates of the school.” Roberts also emphasized the importance of word-of-mouth recommendations when it comes to choosing a school. He recommended looking for a school with large labs and access to cadavers, but warned that a highly-funded school does often mean a higher student tuition.
One student asked if study abroad could be useful in the pursuitl of a medical career. Roberts described the study abroad program as an incredibly easy and useful way to gain experience, as he himself studied abroad in Ecuador. “My time in Beloit was about figuring out what I like and don’t like, and study abroad was a big part of that,”he said. He also noted that Beloit’s fairly light course load makes it very easy for students to study abroad.
On the topic of ways to supplement one’s education in preparation for medical work, he highly recommended studying a language. Interpreters are often fundamental to care, especially in the case of Spanish-speaking patients, and knowing a second language is a valuable skill that makes a difference in your pay rate when you pursue a career. He also recommends taking a technology course, since most of the medical field relies on digital databases.
Dr. Roberts was asked how he felt about being asked to come back and speak with students about his experiences. “I was very honored to be called back,” he said. “Beloit was a big part of my upbringing and who I am, so there’s an aspect of giving back that really makes me feel good. So many people helped me while I was here to get to where I am, so I want to do the same thing.”
Featured image: Beloit College
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