Nic Scobey '14

Nic Scobey ’14 may have graduated from Calvin with a major in biology, but he spent much of his time as a student taking classes in a variety of areas including education, political science, and chemistry. Nic appreciated his liberal arts education and the opportunity to make connections among the varied disciplines, and he intends to carry this approach with him into his medical career.

“Life is interdisciplinary,” says Nic. “Although I'm going into the field of medicine, my work is never just about medicine. It's a delicate web of social work, education, political science, English, and so much more. In order to adequately meet the needs of patients, I need to look at the entire spectrum of their lives; the biology is just one part of that.”

Not only did Nic’s varied classes shape his interdisciplinary perspective, but his involvement in the community also played a role. While at Calvin, Nic worked with the Service-Learning Center as a student coordinator for spring break trips and StreetFest. During his senior year, he lived in Project Neighborhood and invested in the Creston neighborhood by serving with a few local organizations, including Catherine’s Health Center.

Catherine's Health Center is a free clinic for impoverished people or people without insurance, and Nic began volunteering with Catherine’s as a health coach.

“I love the joy that I get to share with patients over the progressive steps toward better health,” Nic says. “Patients love the attention, care, and resources the staff at Catherine's provide for them. I have the privilege of developing relationships with patients and being a trusted member of the community.”

When a position as an AmeriCorps VISTA at Catherine’s Health Center opened up, Nic was eager to apply. The focus of his work as a VISTA will be to ensure that low income, uninsured residents of the community are aware of and able to enroll in and use health insurance they are eligible for with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Nic will also oversee some health and wellness programs, such as a walking program in a local school, and help with health coaching or medication assistance.

After Nic completes his year as an AmeriCorps VISTA member, he is enrolled at Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine and plans to graduate with his MD in 2019.

Written by Meredith Segur, posted July 2014