Lebanon Valley College Neuroscience alumna Emily Long ’22 talks about how her interest in neurological pathology blossomed into the beginning of a promising career. Long, who completed her graduate program at Salus University, started her new position as a Neurology Physician Assistant in the WellSpan system. She evaluates patients, makes diagnoses, and develops treatment plans for various neurological conditions in collaboration with other medical team office members.

What made you choose LVC, and what inspired you to choose your major?

I chose Neuroscience because of my passion for science and healthcare, and I was excited about my neuro classes every week. I transferred to LVC in the fall of my junior year because the Neuroscience curriculum aligned well with my goal of attending Physician Assistant (PA) school and because of the graduate school acceptance rate for health sciences students at Lebanon Valley. I also was excited about opportunities to apply Early Assurance to some programs.

What were some of your most impactful experiences as a student that helped prepare you for grad school?

I enjoyed being part of the Brazil Service Learning “trip” in the spring of 2021. While we could not travel to Brazil due to ongoing COVID-19 conditions, we still learned about the social determinants of health in the U.S. and abroad that limit a patient’s ability to access healthcare while serving the Lebanon County community. This experience helped me view my patients holistically and explore solutions to non-medical barriers to health they might be facing.

Can you tell me about research/internships/clinical placements that helped prepare you for your career?

During my junior and senior years, I interned at the Sexual Assault Resource and Counseling Center (SARCC) and volunteered at Volunteers in Medicine, both in Lebanon. I also worked as a Caregiver at Home Instead Senior Care and Newborn Hearing Screener at UPMC Lititz. These experiences provided direct patient-care experiences required for PA school and exposed me to a diverse patient population.

During graduate school, I had a great neurosurgery elective that enabled me to explore the inpatient, outpatient, and OR settings of a neurosurgical PA. I found a passion for outpatient neurology. I love the patient population I work with and am so excited about all the new medication developments for some of the most common yet difficult conditions to manage, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

Who were the faculty members who mentored you during your time at LVC?

My advisor, Dr. Goodman, and Neuroscience professor, Dr. Unger, were two of many who taught me, wrote letters on my behalf, and helped me succeed at LVC. My mom, Dr. Boeshore, provided so much advice and guidance about pursuing PA school and first gave me my love of Neuroscience.

What are your long-term career aspirations?

I love Neurology and have no immediate plans to change my focus, but something I love about the PA position is the ability to move between specialties. Ultimately, I want to provide high-quality healthcare to my patients and promote the expansion of accessible healthcare to all.

What would you tell prospective students planning to major in neuroscience?

Take classes in other departments as well! I found so many connections between my neuro classes and my sociology and history courses that I may never have seen otherwise.