Teens and social media, no denying this combination has received a bad rap over the last few years, but not every teenager is succumbing to brain rot on the internet. Meet Maya LaBorde, a senior at Alpharetta High School who is using the internet and social media platforms to create a powerful career planning outlet for teens interested in the medical field.
Medicine in the Making was a solution to a problem Maya discovered as she began exploring career paths. Maya has utilized career training programs at school to work through a Medical Assistant certification program, but unfortunately, there are not a lot of resources available for young people with dreams of pursuing a medical career. She felt that kids need to hear the stories of the medical professionals who have already blazed a path to better understand what it takes to make this ambition a reality.
Medicine in the Making presents podcast episodes and other online resources to showcase real-world health care professionals who are sharing their health care journey to inspire the next generation.
“I realized a lot of people don’t have the same access I do to get these resources and I wanted to bridge that gap,” Maya explains.
With so many different facets to the health care profession, it’s not surprising for teens to quickly feel overwhelmed or confused on how to get started. Hearing first-person interviews with current professionals helps to put this career path into perspective and start collecting ideas on how they can make this a reality.
Maya has interviewed a variety of medical professionals including pediatrician Dr. Angelique Redus-McCoy, who shared in a podcast episode how she worked through the decision-making process on choosing a major in college, her educational path and specifically how she decided on pediatrics as her specialty.
In addition to hosting and running Medicine in the Making, Maya is also an active member of HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) where she participates in a number of activities including mentoring and teaching middle schoolers interested in the medical profession.
So, where does all of this energy and inspiration come from? “Both of my parents were and are still active in the health care field, but especially my dad, who has really inspired me to start the podcast,” Maya shares. “Both my mom and dad really inspire me every day and are a really important part of my journey.” Maya also finds it encouraging and exciting when other students reach out after viewing her content. “I love when students reach out to say 'this is such an amazing thing you’ve started,' so it’s inspiring to hear my generation getting more interested in healthcare.”
What’s in the future for Medicine in the Making? “I hope to grow Medicine in the Making in the future and continue throughout college.” For now, Maya is staying plenty busy with her podcast, website, school, leadership clubs and making time for Friday night frozen yogurt and movies with her friends, because after all, she is still a teenager. No doubt, though, Maya LaBorde is an exceptional teen with an exciting medical future in the making.
You can learn more about Medicine in the Making by visiting medicineinthemaking.com.