Meet Ashley: Online health sciences student and medical assistant

Meet Ashley Murray, a soon-to-be-graduate of The Ohio State University’s online Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences program. Born in Germany and now working as an Administrative Medical Assistant at OhioHealth, Ashley chose this flexible online degree to balance her busy work schedule and family, while preparing for a future in medical school. Passionate about patient care, she’s excited to expand her career opportunities in health care with her degree.

We had the pleasure of connecting with Ashley to learn more about her journey, experiences in the program and what’s next for her.

I was born in Heidelberg, Germany, and lived there until I was 5 years old. At the start of my school career, we decided to move to the United States – specifically Ohio, which is where my dad is originally from. While in high school, my dad received a job offer to return to Germany. As a result, I graduated after my junior year at the age of 16 and returned to Germany with my family. While there, I completed an internship in the operating room of a local hospital. Two weeks after turning 18, I returned to Ohio to marry my middle school sweetheart and begin our life together!

I completed some college course work while in high school through the college credit plus program at Columbus State. After moving back to Ohio, I started taking classes again at Columbus State; then after graduating with my associate degree, I transitioned to Ohio State for my bachelor’s degree program.

Ohio State is one of the only universities that offers an online BS degree program that works well for students looking to go the pre-Med/pre-PA route. As a non-traditional student that must work full time while being in school, the degree program options are very limited. I was so grateful to have found the online degree program at Ohio State, so that I could pursue my future goals while still meeting the needs of non-traditional student life.

My experience of learning online has been great. Most of my professors have done a really great job of organizing course content to be engaging and easy to navigate. Most of my professors have recorded weekly lectures, which I have really appreciated. Although I can’t make it into a physical classroom on campus, I do learn well by listening to lectures, and I appreciate that professors still try to simulate the typical learning environment for us online students.

I have received support whenever I needed it throughout my time in this program. Most professors have been really great at responding quickly to emails, and they also offer virtual and in person office hours.

This program offers an exclusively online curriculum to obtain your BS degree. One thing that I really love about the program is that there are several different online course offerings for your major electives; so even though you are an online student you can still choose classes that interest you and can apply to your future career goals. Whether you are looking to go into research, nutrition, or a variety of other paths, there is course work that can be of interest and benefit to you.

Because this degree is so versatile, it will help me in a variety of ways. My goal is to transition into health care management, which is an avenue made possible by this degree! After my gap year I plan to eventually go pursue a graduate degree to become a health care provider, either by going to medical school or Nurse Practitioner (NP) school. Either way, this degree program has put me in the best possible position to be accepted into a program of my choosing. The possibilities are truly endless, and I look forward to seeing how this degree from The Ohio State University will shape my future.

The faculty in the program are great, and if you are willing to learn they are willing to help. The course work is challenging, but if you have a passion for health care and the determination to chase your dreams, then it is manageable. My greatest tips for being successful in this program are to manage your time wisely, get a pair of blue-light blocking glasses, and, finally, don’t forget that there is life outside of the computer screen! Make sure to take some time every day to stretch your legs, do something that you enjoy, and get some fresh air! Your back and eyes will thank you for it.