TEENAGER Busy schedule doesn't faze this student

He spends weekday mornings at Ellis Hospital as part of the New Visions Health Care Internship. By noon, he's back at ND-BG, where he is valedictorian of his class, editor of the school newspaper, a music minister and active in the drama program. In the evenings, he takes courses at Schenectady County Community College.

His weekend schedule isn't much lighter: Dan is the organist at two churches. He's at St. Michael's in Cohoes on Saturdays for rehearsal at 6 p.m., followed by Mass. He's back on Sundays for the 9 a.m. liturgy. Then he drives to St. Casimir's in Albany, his own parish, for the 11 a.m. Mass.

Managing time

He will attend Cornell University in the fall to study science in hopes of becoming a doctor.

"I always wanted to be a cardiac surgeon," he said. "Now I realize I'm too young to say yet what type of doctor I will be."

Testing the waters

But participating in the New Visions Health Care Internship helped him realize that medicine is truly what he wants to pursue. Dan is one of 13 young people in the program.

On Mondays through Wednesdays, Dan and the others spend time on different floors in the hospital, observing the work of doctors, nurses and other hospital employees. On Thursdays and Fridays, the group has class time.

Dan has witnessed surgeries, autopsies, brain studies, physical therapy, music therapy and occupational therapy. He has also seen what is involved in hospital maintenance, security, food services and computer services.

Dan's faith

Faith is important to him. He chose to attend a Catholic high school because he wanted to be in a faith-filled environment where "we have religion and God throughout the day."

Being a part of ND-BG's faith community is something Dan will miss. "I'm going to miss the whole sense of community," he said. "I'm going to miss music ministry, the plays and the newspaper. I'm going to miss the teachers who have always supported me. It's a small community. Everyone knows you; everyone smiles at you."

Multi-lingual

"I learned English in school," he said. "Every summer, we go back to Poland. After first grade, we went to Poland, and my parents decided to send me to second grade in Poland. When I came back [to America], I had forgotten English."

(06-13-02) [[In-content Ad]]