As Sarah Taylor, Madison McBride, Ketsia Kasongo, and Logan Robinson (pictured left from right) prepare to leave their positions as medical assistant interns for Tryon Medical Partners‘ dermatology department at SouthPark, they’re carrying forward much more than clinical experience. Each has discovered a foundational principle that will shape their approach to medical school, physician assistant school, and their healthcare careers for years to come.
The value of a teaching and learning culture
Ketsia, who is bound for PA school in the fall, found her greatest lesson in Tryon’s culture of continuous education and respect.
“I love everything about Tryon and our team,” Ketsia enthuses. “The hands-on experience the clinicians have allowed us has been invaluable. I’ve worked with all of the clinicians, and they’re always willing and open to teach and elaborate.”
Specific learning moments stand out in her memory: “Working with Dr. Laura McGirt, I’ve come to understand the importance of patient education which can help to improve patient outcomes. And while assisting Dr. Patricia K. Roddey with in-office procedures such as skin cancer excisions and cyst removals, I’ve been able to practice my hands-on clinical skills.”
Inspired by her mother’s journey to become a registered nurse after immigrating from Africa, Ketsia sees the value in workplaces that prioritize growth and education. She envisions, and hopes, her future practice environment will reflect Tryon’s approach.
“As a future clinician, I want to be somewhere that’s as welcoming and open to teaching as Tryon,” she says.
The art of patient connection
For Logan, who is heading to medical school in a few months, the most significant lesson has been the importance of patient relationships that extend beyond immediate medical needs.
“Something that has been enjoyable and good preparation is forming long-term relationships with patients, including taking ownership for their health and well-being outside of medical needs,” Logan shares. “I’ve had the privilege of seeing some of the patients repeatedly, which has allowed me to develop stronger connections with them. I think this will prepare me well for my future career in terms of individualizing care and prioritizing patient comfort.”
Logan, whose interest in medicine was sparked by his own diagnosis with type 1 diabetes in high school, has observed that thoughtful communication can transform a patient’s experience. Working with Dr. Laura McGirt, he observed how attention to detail during procedures builds trust.
“I’ve learned how important it can be to focus on the little things,” he explains. “We’re responsible for biopsy preparations, and working in this setting has helped me see how clearly communicating every step to the patient is a good way to build trust.”
This personal touch – explaining each step of a procedure, offering countdowns before injections, and inviting patients to participate in shared decision-making – creates an environment where patients feel cared for as individuals.
Finding your path through mentorship
Madison, also heading to PA school soon, discovered the invaluable role of mentorship in clarifying her career path.
Having been a patient at Tryon before becoming an employee, Madison had a feeling Tryon would be the perfect place to discover whether a career in healthcare was right for her. But it was the one-on-one learning opportunities with Tryon physician assistants that solidified her career choice.
“You can shadow as many PAs as you want, but until I worked with someone one-on-one, I didn’t understand what PA school was truly like and how I could continue to grow as an ACP after graduate school,” Madison explains. “Working with Kathleen Hamilton made all the difference for me.”
This personal guidance proved transformative, allowing Madison to see herself in the role and understand its nuances in ways that casual observation never could. The mentorship extended beyond clinical skills to include an environment where questions were encouraged.
“I always felt comfortable asking questions so I could learn more, and that was always encouraged by the clinicians,” she notes.
As she moves forward in her education, Madison carries with her not just knowledge, but a model for the kind of mentor she hopes to become in her future career.
The power of collaborative medicine
For Sarah, who will be starting medical school in the fall, the most significant takeaway from her time at Tryon was witnessing the strength of collaborative healthcare.
“All of the clinicians are very collaborative, they won’t hesitate to pull another provider into the room if they feel another set of eyes is needed,” Sarah reflects. “It creates a good environment between the clinicians. In my future as a physician, I hope it’s as collaborative as Tryon – I think it’s important that people are humble and lean on their co-workers.”
This culture of collaboration made a profound impression on Sarah, who was initially inspired to pursue medicine by her grandfather, a family medicine physician who practiced in a rural community. The combination of her grandfather’s legacy of relational care and Tryon’s model of teamwork has shaped her vision for her own practice.
“I really want the relational element in my work the way it was with my grandfather,” she shares, adding that the continuity of care and relationship-building with patients at Tryon reinforced this desire.
As she prepares for medical school, Sarah acknowledges it will be “an emotional goodbye” to Tryon, a place she expects to “think about often” as she continues her journey in medicine.
Building foundations for future careers
As they prepare for their next steps, all four interns recognize how formative their time at Tryon has been.
“I just know that working at Tryon was so foundational to how we’ve gotten to where we are today,” Logan reflects. “This will be the best base for the rest of our careers. It’s moving us forward to what we want to do: help patients for years to come.”
The lessons they’ve learned – about collaboration, mentorship, patient relationships, and learning culture – will shape their approach to healthcare long after they’ve left Tryon’s halls. Though they’re all moving on to formal education, in many ways, their real education has already begun.
As Sarah puts it, “I have a feeling that medical school will offer the opportunity to learn new things, of course, but also to realize how much I’ve already learned at Tryon.”
For the patients and clinicians at Tryon Medical Partners, these four medical assistant interns represent the future of healthcare professionals shaped by experiences that taught them not just medicine, but how to be a good colleague, mentor, and advocate for patients.