Lily Harvison

“Every class I have taken, I have learned something that will be applicable to future patients or for a better understanding of their diagnosis.” 

-Lily Harvison

Lily Harvison aspires to become a physician assistant and work in the emergency room. When she isn’t busy with her studies, Lily likes to hammock around campus and take fitness classes at State Gym.

Lily Harvison secures experience through research, leadership roles, hands-on patient care

Lily Harvison grew up admiring her aunt’s work as a physician assistant (PA), and her uncle’s work as a doctor. Outside of her family ties to the medical field, she has always known that it was the right path for her to follow.

Upon coming to Iowa State, Lily decided to attend ClubFest. It was at ClubFest after exploring different clubs, that she decided to become a PA.

Ready to gain experience, Lily began assisting in research efforts the second semester of her freshman year. She obtained the position through her membership in the Honors program, and worked under Matthew Rowling, associate professor in food science and human nutrition. 

Aside from her research work, Lily has gained experience through her classes, her position as a Rosenfeld intern, and her job as a patient care technician at Select Speciality Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She works during the summer, and any time school isn’t in session, to accumulate patient care hours. 

For her Rosenfeld internship, Lily fed and weighed 24 animals each day. She also planned and executed cognitive tests that involved a radial arm maze and a T-maze to test long-term and working memory. Lily will continue her internship next semester by analyzing the data collected from these animals. 

Lily finds her classes to be of the utmost importance and credits them for giving her the tools and knowledge that she’ll need for her future career as a PA.

“My classes have prepared me so well for what comes next,” she said. “Every class I have taken, I have learned something that will be applicable to future patients or for a better understanding of their diagnosis.” 

Maintaining a very busy schedule, whether that be through researching, interning, or working, Lily has learned how to utilize her time wisely. By doing so, she has been able to collect an abundance of experience, and make time for what is most meaningful to her.

“Trying to make sure I have time for leadership roles, research, and classes took a while to figure out, but I definitely learned how to use Google Calendar and use my time wisely,” Lily said.