Rebekah (Pack ’16) Venable

Exercise Science

Biography

I graduated a semester early from Taylor and went immediately into Indiana University’s PA program. The job market was scarce for new PA grads when I graduated, but the Lord blessed me and I accepted a job prior to graduation. I started just a few weeks after passing my board exam and practiced for 2.5 years at a busy, privately-owned family medicine clinic in Indianapolis. Just recently I have started my new job as a PA in the beautiful state of Colorado, still in primary care. In my new role, I am working part time as a PA and spending the rest of my time loving on my husband and our daughter.

What were some of your most valuable experiences at Taylor?

I feel so spoiled to have been taught by so many brilliant biblical scholars. My husband and I regularly talk about things we discussed in Dr. Seeman's contemporary Christian belief. We’ve also carried many of these topics over to others we’ve met over the years. High on my list is also the J-term trip to Israel. Not many people have the opportunity to spend nearly a month experiencing the Bible with all of your senses. There were many books that were impactful. One specific one was The Gift of Pain, which highly influenced the way I manage and think about my interactions with patients.

How did your classes or interactions with professors at Taylor impact your growth?

Too many significant interactions to count, most notably Dr. Hayes and Dr. Renfrow. I loved not just learning the raw material, but instead being truly challenged philosophically of the “WHY” and what gives it purpose. This is the only way to make these habits sustainable for my own life and to help encourage others to do the same. I regularly recall my education in my major department—professionally and personally.

How can Taylor graduates use their unique Taylor education and its liberal arts foundational core as an asset in your discipline?

In my major it was encouraged to provide treatment to the whole person. Having this concept in your philosophy when treating patients is crucial. I really believe my time at Taylor really shaped me into the kind of provider I am—that’s where I gained convictions, learned how to love people better, and understood preventative medicine, etc. In PA school, I gained the book knowledge. But I would argue the things I learned at Taylor for my provider role are even more valuable and harder to teach.

What advice or encouragement could you provide for Taylor students in your vocational discipline?

Soak it all up and really allow yourself to go all in as you are learning. Don’t wait - let yourself go all in from the beginning of freshman year. People out there greatly need guidance in these lifestyle principles and even more need to be shown God's love in vulnerable times.