Autumn Sandidge

My name is Autumn Sandidge and I am graduating from Clemson University in May of 2025 with a Bachelor of Science in Spanish and International Health. Upon graduating, I plan on becoming a Physician Assistant to fulfill my passion for serving my community and studying public health. 

 

Throughout college, I have had a multitude of wonderful opportunities to grow my knowledge, experiences, and cultural competency on a global scale. My foundation has been built from my classes, which have focused not only on the life sciences, but also public and global health, disparities among Latino populations in the United States, healthcare system models in Latin America and the United States, social determinants of health, theory of health behavior, and rural health. I have been fortunate to practice these skills and lessons in a real world setting. 

 

One of my most impactful experiences was a week-long mission trip to Chinandega, Nicaragua, where I served alongside Amigos for Christ, a non-profit organization that works to bring clean water and sustainable development to rural communities. While I was there, I was able to see firsthand the multifaceted, community-driven approach Amigos for Christ takes. My experience was nothing short of inspiring, as I worked with the community health promotion team to visit with families, experienced the life-changing day where a community was able to turn on clean water for the first time, visited the Amigos School, and dug water lines alongside community members. My passion for service and benevolence was ignited even more than it was before, and I finally knew that I wanted to work in rural health. 

 

During the Spring of 2024, I was privileged to study in Seville, Spain while completing a clinically based internship at Clínica Santa Isabel. While there, I immersed myself in the rich culture and traditions of the city, attended festivals dating back to 1846, lived with a host mom, delved into the complex cultural history, and enjoyed the cuisine that resulted from the historic religious power struggles I Seville. The city, with its stunning architecture and bustling streets, provided me with once in a lifetime experiences that grew my cultural competence, Spanish speaking skills, and clinical knowledge.

 

In addition to these rich experiences in various countries, I have also gained deep knowledge and invaluable experience working as a Certified Nursing Assistant in my hometown of Lynchburg, Virginia. My home floor is the General Medical Unit, where a nuance of patient diagnosis and severities have allowed me to work with a wide variety of illnesses. In addition to my floor, I have worked in oncology, emergency observation, diabetic renal, and cardiovascular intermediate units, exposing me to various specialties and care practices. 

 

In January, I plan on returning to Nicaragua to complete a month-long internship working with the Amigos for Christ health promotion team. During my internship, I will travel each day to rural villages to perform urine screenings, health education, care coordination, and compliance evaluations with individual families in order to create a sustainable health model on a community and individual level. During my time, I will also have the opportunity to shadow surgeons from the United States as they complete a surgical brigade in the local Chinandega hospital. 

 

I am extremely fortunate to have experienced so many stimulating and challenging environments, and I look forward to taking each of these experiences and lessons into my future as I practice medicine in underserved communities. The knowledge, cultural humility, advocacy, adaptability, leadership, and dedication that I have been able to grow throughout my college experience will only flourish as I seek new opportunities in my future.