How NCAPs has helped me

My name is McKenzie Ostdiek, and I am a senior at Lawrence-Nelson High School. During high school, NCAPs helped me in many ways. When I entered high school, I had no idea what career I wanted to go into. Through the NCAPs program, I was able to go on a mentor visit to the pharmacy at Brodstone Memorial Hospital in Superior.

I instantly loved the job and knew this was what I wanted for a career. At the end of my first semester, I was able to learn so much more about this profession, and what it would take to be successful in it, because of my NCAPs presentation. I was required to learn about the different types of pharmacy and got to see hands-on what pharmacists are required to do.

Another part of the NCAPs program is taking the prerequisites to many of the college courses required for your career interest area. Because of this, I will graduate with 28 college credits. I was also able to earn my CNA certification - all without any cost to my parents or myself. I can begin working as a CNA now and continue to learn more about the healthcare field, especially patient care. One class that won't go on to fill a requirement, but has helped me to understand so much about the medical field and the terms used in the profession, was Medical Terminology. It is a great base for so many of the other healthcare classes.

I truly believe that being a part of NCAPS classes and their mentoring program have helped me with the application process, and now the interview process, for both Chadron and Wayne State's RHOP program. I know what helped me and has helped others to stand out from other seniors applying was our experiences in the NCAPS program and college readiness classes.

Now that I have been selected as an interviewee for both of these RHOP programs, I am confident that I will do well because of the presentations and mentorship I have already experienced. I have learned how to be professional, have taken part in professional interviews, and I know what it means to put together a quality presentation that is also professional.

NCAPs will benefit the people who apply themselves. As with any activity, the more effort you put into it, the better the results will be. If you don't strive for greatness, you are simply settling for ordinary, and high school was a great time for me to learn just how great this career could be for me if I was willing to put in the work.

Thank you, NCAPS, for helping me to learn what I should and shouldn't be doing in terms of my long-term goals of becoming a pharmacist.