DR I VE AND DETERMINATION
Ever since she was young, Dr. Olivia Necola, hospitalist at Great Plains Health, knew she wanted a career in medicine. “It was never a question,” said Necola. “I knew I wanted to help people, and the path for me was healthcare.”
Dr. Olivia Necola
Although Necola didn’t have close relationships with anyone who worked in the medical profession, she didn’t let that stop her from pursuing her dream. “When I was 15, I wanted to do some volunteer work,” she explained. Rather than volunteering at a hospital, Necola wanted to be in a clinical setting. “In a hospital, volunteers end up doing things like serving meals,” explained Necola, “and that wasn’t what I was looking for. I wanted hands-on experience.” Necola, who lived in New York City, picked up the yellow pages and started calling clinics. “I called 35 different clinics before I found one willing to take me,” she said. That summer, before her junior year in high school, Necola spent her entire vacation working full time for Dr. Aristotelis Sakellaridis. “In the clinic, there was only one doctor, one nurse, and one receptionist,” she said, “I learned to help out in every area and experienced what it was like to see and work with patients every day.” Necola learned everything from taking a patient’s history, to taking vitals, to drawing blood. Sakellaridis was so impressed with Necola’s skill and work ethic that by the end of the summer, he offered to hire her. “He actually gave me the keys to the office,” said Necola. From then on, Necola would go work at the clinic after school and during school breaks. When working with patients, Sakellaridis would introduce her as a future doctor. “It meant the world to me that he believed in me,” said Necola. When asked what advice she would give young people who are interested in a career in medicine but don’t know where to start, Necola said, “There are opportunities out there if you have the determination to go after them. We need good physicians, and there are many professionals willing to help if you have the courage to ask.”
“It was never a question. I knew I wanted to help people, and the path for me was healthcare.” -Dr. Olivia Necola
Doctors’ Day 2022 4
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