Susan Karoubi loves networking and sharing her positive experiences at PVCC. While at PVCC, Susan completed post baccalaureate coursework focused on the sciences (EMT, anatomy, human pathology and physiology) to add to her Bachelor of Science degree from Arizona State University West Campus. While at ASU, Susan was a member of the Barrett Upper Division Students Honors Program. She received the Honors Medallion upon completion of her thesis, required coursework, and the 3.25 GPA requirement for graduating with honors recognition.
Susan cites two PVCC instructors, Dr. Anthony Lamanna and Dr. John Hayashi, who were influential as she pursued her original goal of admission to medical school. These two faculty members were inspiring and supportive of Susan’s pre-health journey. They played a key role in supporting her application to medical school by supporting her candidacy with letters of recommendation. Paula Crossman was also a significant advocate for Susan and provided feedback on her medical school application essays as well as a letter of recommendation.
To students considering PVCC as their educational provider, Susan provides an emphatic, “Yes. PVCC teachers actually make time for their students. The PVCC Science department faculty are amazing - they are so good! Many of the faculty members have professional experience in the fields they are teaching and they are very committed to the success and educational experience of their students. This makes for an ideal learning environment.”
As a PVCC Student Ambassador for two semesters during the pandemic, Susan embraced this opportunity to engage with social media to provide study tips to students, “Take notes by hand! Even though so many classes use Power Points, taking your notes by hand helps with memory retention and remembering more in the long term.” She was also actively engaged in taking videos and photos to share campus resources and information through social media, the college website, and the college YouTube channel. This role was the springboard into her foray into the social media arena. She harnessed the power of social media to develop her own YouTube channel designed to help guide students interested in pursuing careers in medicine. Susan shared, “I am now very comfortable with social media. The more you grow up and grow out, the better.”
Susan laid the foundation for a pursuit in the field of medicine by seeking employment opportunities that would afford her the opportunity to view the profession from the perspective of the patient. While attending classes at PVCC, she was employed full-time as a Patient Experience Coordinator at a physical therapy clinic. Prior to that experience she worked part-time as a physical therapy technician. Additionally, as a mentor for the American Medical Student Association (AMSA), she provided ASU West students with resources and connections needed to become competitive and well-rounded applicants to pre-health programs. While no longer pursuing a career in Naturopathic Medicine, Susan is currently enrolled in a Masters of Public Health in Applied Epidemiology through the University of Arizona online.
Best wishes to Susan as she embarks on completion of her Masters Degree.