My name is Adriel Crispo and I am a first-year Master of Science in Anesthesia student at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. While I am a New Jersey native, I have found Cleveland offers an array of opportunities outside of the clinical and classroom setting. Especially when autumn weather is in full effect, Cleveland’s ample Metroparks, known as the “Emerald Necklace,” provide many trails to explore and a chance to enjoy a breath of fresh air. As a newcomer to Cleveland, it is hard not to ride the bandwagon for their sports teams with a city that has so much heart and character (but go NY Giants!).
I attended The Ohio State University where I received a Bachelor’s of Science in Neuroscience with a focus on cellular and molecular neuroscience. Upon graduating, I was unsure of what I wanted to pursue within the medical field. During my gap year, I began to work towards a Master’s of Science in Pharmacology at The Ohio State University while also working as an emergency department medical scribe. I also volunteered in a preclinical research lab studying a potential underlying mechanism of re-myelination following spinal cord injury, and gained hands-on experience in live-cell confocal microscopy. I decided to pursue the anesthesiologist assistant profession after shadowing and seeing firsthand the combination of hands-on patient involvement, clinical-context of medical knowledge and application of pharmacological interventions.
Currently, I am wrapping up a general surgery rotation at MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland, where I am becoming more proficient at managing clinical cases from the preoperative setting to the postoperative hand-off. This includes managing the patient's’ airway, confidently intubating, recognizing appropriate pharmacological intervention in the clinical context, and successfully gaining intravenous access as necessary. As my third clinical rotation comes to a close, I have gained a deeper appreciation for various perspectives and techniques of the field from our instructors. Each instructors’ individual experiences have helped strengthen my clinical knowledge and allowed me to provide our patients with the best care possible. I look forward to being mentored in new skills including arterial line and epidural placement in the months to come.
About this post: The Student Spotlight series highlights MSA students in their second year of coursework in Cleveland, Houston, and Washington. The series is a student-led initiative, and is designed to share current student experiences with prospective students.