Pre-Med Student Finds Purpose in Medical Field, Passion as a Musician

Mackenzie Tewksbury ’23 knew she wanted to go into medicine, but she also wanted a college that could provide her with a well-rounded experience.

Mackenzie Tewksbury ’23 toured the campus at York College of Pennsylvania and never wanted to leave the Biology labs. Getting up close to the equipment, listening to professors explain some of the coursework, and hearing from students who were in the program were things she never experienced on her other college tours.

“It set York College apart from the start,” she says. “I knew this would be the place for me.”

As a Biology and Pre-Med Studies student, Tewksbury put herself on a course to become a Physician’s Assistant. While her parents suggested she consider other health fields, Tewksbury was set on medicine from an early age.

A high school program gave her a taste of what a hospital career could offer. She loved watching the doctors interact with patients and work to help them, no matter their physical ailments.

When she started her courses, she decided the financial burden and long-term college commitment to become a doctor might not be for her. Rather, she found she could make an impact and get into her career quicker if she followed the Physician’s Assistant track.

“I’m really looking forward to working with patients,” she says. “Being able to do that a little sooner is exciting to me.”

A balanced experience

Several times a week, Tewksbury can be found either in the choir or the YCP Rhapsody a capella group. She secured a scholarship as a non-music major that has helped her create a well-rounded experience at York College, giving her the chance to pursue an intense degree program while enjoying her passions.

She’s also a Resident Assistant (RA) for various scholar program students, helping first-year students get acclimated to college life and guiding them through some of the unique opportunities York College provides.

Tewksbury recently decided to get her EMT license, and she runs with an ambulance crew in her hometown during the summer and during school breaks. The experience, while still new, is helping her get some early hands-on practice in her field.

“The world of medicine can be unpredictable,” she says. “I’m getting a lot of what I need to enter that world by being at York College.”

On the right path

When Tewksbury thinks about the pre-med programs she could have applied for at other colleges—where she would have been one out of hundreds of students in a single lecture hall—she’s grateful she chose to be at York College.

“It’s a wonderful feeling to know my professors know me by name,” she says. “They ask how I’m doing. They make sure I’m on the right career path. I know I can succeed here because of that.”

York College supports students as they work to turn career dreams into reality. Some 90% of new, full-time students receive financial assistance or scholarships. A variety of scholarships and grants are available, based on both merit and financial need.