When Ben Crookshank ’17 was only 14 years old, he lost hearing in his left ear. He visited more doctors than he can remember—but he will never forget how much they all cared.
After taking an anatomy and physiology class during his junior year of high school, he was convinced that he wanted to go to medical school so that he, too, could provide comfort and treatment for those in need.
Ultimately, Crookshank decided to attend Gettysburg College because its pre-health professions program would equip him with the skills he would need to realize his ambitions.
“Almost anyone can memorize a textbook, but it's how you apply the principles and knowledge that will make you a good physician,” said Crookshank, a former health sciences major from Gaithersburg, Maryland. “Gettysburg’s curriculum heavily emphasized not just memorizing a fact but also using that knowledge and applying it one step further.”
The pre-health professions program helps students rise to the challenge of planning and applying for medical school while still in college. Using individualized guidance, job shadowing, and career opportunities, it prepares its students to pursue health professions ranging from athletic training to veterinary medicine.
Thanks to the personalized attention, Crookshank felt ready to enter Penn State College of Medicine upon graduation.
“Mentorship is very important in the medical community and I was very fortunate to find good mentors in the professors and alumni of Gettysburg that helped guide me on my way. I don’t think I would be where I am now without their help.”
By Giacomo Coppola ’22
Posted: 12/17/19
