- November 04, 2026
- By Karen Shih ’09
When a sore throat and sniffles turn into suspected flu, a twisted ankle sidelines a sports lover or a gut check is a genuine need, the first person in blue scrubs students meet in a University Health Center exam room might be a classmate.
About a dozen undergraduates serve as part-time medical assistants there, supporting the University of Maryland community while getting valuable experience that will give them a leg up as they pursue healthcare careers.
“This was my dream position for an on-campus job,” said Lauren Sigur ’28, a public health science and family health double-degree student who hopes to become a physician assistant. “When I enter the field, it won’t be the first time I’m dealing with a sick patient or an injury.”
Sigur is a public health science and family health double-degree student with a particular interest in women's health.
She joined the staff in August 2025 and works about 16 hours a week in four-hour shifts. During the morning, she might triage primary care patients every 30 minutes for practitioners, treating a wound from an e-scooter spill, gathering information about an oozing eye or taking notes on a stubborn rash.
In the afternoon, Sigur could staff a flu vaccine clinic, giving shots every 10 minutes. “I try to make an effort to make conversation to distract them, then just get the vaccine in there so they don’t even realize it’s happening.”
For years, the UHC had more of an ad hoc system, allowing students work in administrative roles. “I’d always get requests, ‘Can I do some shadowing? Is there a way I can help?’” said Associate Director of Medical Services Heather Teitelbaum ’01.
In 2023, physician assistant Maysam Atalfi ’15, who credits his student years at UHC with putting him on his career path, helped develop the formal program. “We tailor it for passionate pre-health students so they can get hours, experience and exposure,” said Atalfi, now the student healthcare employee director. “They learn from providers, nurses, medical assistants and become more independent, working on their own.”
It’s a popular job: About 100 applicants vie for 10 to 13 spots each year. They are required to have a related certification, such as emergency medical technician or certified clinical assistant, to qualify. Most stay for at least a full school year (no student workers are needed in the winter or summer), earning the clinical hours needed to apply for many professional graduate programs.
In Sigur’s case, she enrolled at her Howard County high school’s two-year medical assistant program for students pursuing healthcare careers, learning basic anatomy, as well as how to draw blood and use an autoclave. But even with the certification, she found it hard to get a job once she got to UMD. Many required years of experience or were off-campus and hard to travel to. The UHC program was a perfect fit.
“We don’t have a medical school here, but we have a health center, so it’s an opportunity to engage these pre-health students and mentor them and show them the way,” said UHC Director Spyridon Marinopoulos. “We are here for the students on campus, and this is another way to serve them.”
As Sigur plans for graduate school, advice from UHC staff has helped her narrow down programs, and her experience has opened doors to jobs at other clinics during the summer.
She urges fellow Terps to check out all the offerings at the UHC, from flu shots — it’s not too late! — to primary care, women’s health, physical therapy and mental health services.
“It feels great to help other students,” said Sigur. “If someone comes in with symptoms and they’re worried about an exam, I get it. I’ve been in that position before. I hope it brings comfort to people that there are student employees, kind of in the same position as them.”
This is part of an occasional series highlighting unique UMD student jobs. Have a suggestion? Email Karen Shih at kshih@umd.edu.