Courtesy photoKaitlyn Larsen, from Haysville, chose a career that makes her essential to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Larsen is one of more than 1,200 students eligible for fall 2020 graduation. Learn more about her time at Wichita State and what is next for the grad.
What is your degree in?
Bachelor of Science in medical laboratory sciences.
We process and interpret specimens received in the lab to help the doctor's diagnoses. We are pretty important right now with the pandemic and are responsible for processing COVID testing.
What led you to Wichita State to begin with?
It is local school that offered the medical laboratory sciences degree.
How are you feeling leading up to graduation?
Excited! It's going by way too fast.
What has been your most helpful learning experience while a student at Wichita State?
Case studies.
In our program, we have many diseases we need to learn about. The best way to put all that information together is when we were handed a case study and asked: What is wrong with this patient? The brainstorming and recall were challenging but solidified my knowledge.
What was been your biggest challenge as a student, and how did you overcome it?
The workload of the MLS program. Up until that point, college had given me a taste of a heavy workload, but it was nothing in comparison. My agenda and time-management skills guided me on what to accomplish every day. It was a real lifesaver!
What are your plans after graduation?
Take a break from studying after a rough, accelerated program and focus on self-care for a while.
How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your time at Wichita State or your post-graduation plans?
It affected the ability for our class to perform our labs. We may have learned online, but it amounts to little in terms of real, hands-on experience that we needed. Post-graduation plans remain the same though, as jobs are still available.
What advice would you give other Wichita State students?
Make good friends so that you can build each other up together. Learning is much better with support.
