General and Trauma Surgery Physician Assistant at Mercy Hospital
Kayla Miller, a CSP graduate, participated in the science department’s Staph Aureus research project while completing her undergraduate degree. Now, Miller works as a General and Trauma Surgery Physician Assistant at Mercy Hospital.
Miller gained hands-on research experience in a lab setting while at CSP. “During my two semesters working on the Staph Aureus project, I independently developed procedures and protocols for Staphylococcal aureus toxin purification and extraction. These protocols included PCR, Electrophoresis, and Western Blot.”
Research projects like the Staph Aureus project help prepare students for a career in the science and research fields. “I would highly recommend joining a research study on campus! While I don’t do much laboratory research at this point in my career, I developed skills during this time that I continue to use daily. These include, but are not limited to: the ability to utilize and understand peer-reviewed literature to assess for appropriate clinical applications, understand the protocols and procedures in the laboratory-based setting, how to successfully collaborate with a team in a clinical setting, and how to thoughtfully troubleshoot through roadblocks.”