Student Spotlight: Melissa Mermiges, Class of 2019

Female anesthesiologist assistant student standing with sign reading, School of Medicine Case Western Reserve University

My name is Melissa Mermiges, and I am a second-year student in the Master of Science in Anesthesia Program at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio! I started my studies off at Michigan State University, where I majored in Human Biology. My intention was to go to medical school. I took a year off after graduation, found out about the MSA Program, and everything fell into place from that point on.

Female anesthesiologist assistant student with a dog on the beach

The most amazing part of the Program is watching yourself progress and become an essential part of the anesthesia care team. In the beginning every little task is challenging, but there comes a point when things just start to come naturally like driving a car.

The anesthesia community is very close knit, and I have made the most amazing friends in this program. We learn from each other, and could probably swap anesthesia stories all night. I don’t think I could have made it without my amazing support system.

I've found a few spots in Cleveland that have become favorites, including the many waterfalls around town, the Flats near Downtown Cleveland, and Lake Erie's Edgewater Beach on the west side.

My advice to future students would be to just put the work in from the beginning and love what you’re doing. Everything else will come along with it.

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.