Small-town ASU grad bridges science, health care, community through extracurriculars

Editor's note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable spring 2023 graduates.

When Paige Oskolkoff left for Arizona State University to begin her freshman year, she was excited to have the opportunity to grow a community.

“I grew up in a smaller town where everybody learned what was going on in each other’s lives, and that sense of community is important to me,” she said. “I wanted to create that myself and connect that to my passion for science and health care.”

The Lake Havasu, Arizona, native took it upon herself to create that community through her education and experiences outside of the classroom.

During school, Oskolkoff worked as a medical scribe at HonorHealth and Arizona Cardiology Group, interacting with patients every day. In the ASU community, she was involved in Women for STEM, where she was able to engage with fellow students and learn more about STEM fields.

Oskolkoff is graduating with a Bachelor of Science in biological sciences with a concentration in biomedical sciences. She also pursued a minor in nutrition and healthy living.

Question: What was your “aha” moment when you realized you wanted to study the field you majored in?

Answer: All through high school, science was my thing; I feel like that came naturally to me. Early in high school, I knew I wanted to go into health care somewhere, but it wasn’t until I started as a medical scribe for physicians that I realized I wanted to be a doctor.

Q: Something you learned while at ASU that stands out?

A: The biggest thing is I learned how far the faculty are willing to help you in any way they can. Sometimes I would ask a professor for materials to study for the MCAT or a question about a club and they helped. One time a professor hopped on a Zoom call to answer a quick question, and they stayed on the call for an hour and a half helping me.

Q: Why ASU?

A: It was important to me to go to a university that offered various things to do outside of the classroom. There are resources like clubs, organizations and connections with different medical schools. It was the right fit because ASU focuses on education and providing students with resources to go the extra mile.

Q: What advice would you give to an incoming first-year student?

A: Find something you enjoy doing in school, and find a way to do it outside of school to strengthen your skills and meet new people. Find a way to connect your academics with something outside of the classroom.

Q: What was the class or professor who had the most impact on your college journey?

A: A genetics class I took taught by Noah Snyder-Mackler. He was interested in the student experience, how we were doing in his class and how he could help us outside the classroom.

Q: What are your plans after graduation?

A: I will begin my master’s in biology at ASU in the fall and hope to apply for medical school in the summer of 2024.

Q: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

A: In 10 years I would like to be a resident or a fellow that is able to make an impact on my community in whatever specialty I decide to pursue.