When imagining a future job, many look at their interests, some follow in parents’ footsteps and others try to be like the rich and famous. Junior Courtney Vishy, however, sees herself as a pediatric doctor, inspired by her own medical issues and job shadowing she did over the summer. Her story has played a role in her best friend, Junior Jillian Fields’, interest in the medical field also. Courtney is planning on shadowing her pediatrician over winter break to learn more about the field.

“I’d like to see more interesting occurrences,” Courtney said. “Not the day to day stuff, but things that are out of the ordinary.”

Between June and November of 2009, Courtney was diagnosed with Celiac, the allergy to gluten; swine flu; hyperthyroidism–when the thyroid produces too much thyroid hormone–and anemia. From Dec. 2009 to Feb. 2010, Courtney spent time in the hospital for severe migraines. Then she lost the ability to move her neck.

“It was definitely hard,” Courtney said. “Once you’d get one thing solved, something else would pop up.”

Doctors assumed this was due to her neck being in the same position while in the hospital. Courtney’s back became weak, transferring to her leg muscles. She spent until the end of March in a wheelchair going to her core classes at school. All the while maintaining a 4.0 GPA.

“I was like ‘Oh my gosh, this sucks. Why did this happen?,’” Courtney said. “Now I look back, and I realize I actually want to go to med school. It’s been really beneficial.”

Invigorated by her own personal interest in nursing, as well as Courtney’s story and shadowing, Fields shadowed a normal pediatrician at St. Louis Children’s Hospital on Oct. 12.

“Her shadowing over summer did [inspire me],” Jillian said. “It made me more interested and want to learn more because I didn’t understand a lot.”

This past July, Courtney shadowed a speech therapist, an occupational therapist, a physical therapist, a nurse and two pharmacists. She followed and asked questions, made medicine and watched emergency surgery first-hand.

“I liked all of it,” Courtney said. “It just really gave me an insider’s view on the exciting chaos in the hospital. It was awesome to get the experience. I’ll remember it for the rest of my life.”

Courtney took a class called “The Human Lab” in the summer of 2010 where she studied dead bodies donated to science. This class was the main spark to her shadowing.

“I think it’s awesome,” Rebecca Brand, a clinical pharmacist Courtney shadowed, said. “I love seeing people so excited about going into a job I love so much.”