The Health, Exercise, and Sports Studies major prepares students for many careers: physical and occupational therapy, athletic training, nursing—even becoming a doctor.
Effie Morway ’14, who currently is thriving in medical school at Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine- Ohio University, graduated with a major in athletic training (which has been reinvigorated as the health, exercise and sport studies major).
Morway’s classes equipped her with a range of practical skills and knowledge — from physical palpation to medical vocabulary — as she learned across a curriculum that embraces arts and humanities as well as sciences.
She may have thrived through her coursework, but her professors, especially Drs. Brian Hortz and Eric Winters, inspired and encouraged Morway along the way.
“I knew Dr. Hortz from the first class on the first day. He saw me through it all. He’s really good at keeping me in check and calming my anxieties and my worst fears of failing.” She added, “And Dr. Winters’s courses on public health set the scene for my career.”
Upon graduating from Denison, Morway took a gap year working for AmeriCorps. Her goal of becoming a doctor was solidified through her work with HIV patients, as she helped them gain access to health insurance, food stamps, welfare, and other benefits.
Morway credits much of her success in medical school to her ability to think critically, analyze problems, and communicate well. “I’m much better able to decipher and understand new concepts in medical school because of my strong liberal arts background.”