Today we’d like to introduce you to Emilie Scott
Hi Emilie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
It is April 2020. I am 17 years old and wearing a Hazmat suit. As I walk down the fluorescently lit hallway, I am sweating from the weight of the suit. The air in my N-95 feels stale. My task is to convince a 92 year old woman with dementia to allow me to take her vital signs. At first, she was terrified of me. After much deliberation, she laughs and decides that my outfit “looks ridiculous”. I laugh right along with her…How did I end up here?
Coronavirus was sweeping the nation. As a senior in High School, I had been preparing for a Spring full of milestones and enjoyment. Speaking at our graduation ceremony, dancing a lead role, and working at the local burger place, I was looking forward to it all. On March 13th, my carefully curated plans crumbled. I read a New York Times article titled ‘It’s Pure Panic’ describing nursing home staff shortages. I knew it was time to jump in. I called the closest nursing home to ask for a job, and received a resounding yes. With no visitation allowed, I became the fill-in family of many sick patients. As I interacted with them, I realized I had a talent for making people feel cared for and understood. The first few days on the job, a nurse gave me advice that has stuck with me: lead with empathy. This philosophy is the essence of care—listening to patients, placing yourself in their shoes, and putting their needs first.
In September 2020, I moved to Minnesota to attend Carleton college and began working at the nursing home in Northfield. I rode my bike to work twice a week, often through snow, as I began my college courses on zoom. Continuing CNA work for the same reason I started, I needed to be on the front lines of this pandemic. The residents needed me. Although courses on zoom and intense nursing care weren’t how I envisioned freshman year, I was also strikingly aware of how COVID affected communities and how lucky I was to be alive and healthy. At this time I began making daily vlogs on tik tok and started to grow a small following. People told me they found my content inspiring. Vlogging my daily routine as a premed student motivated me to live life to the fullest. I think it can be very hard to find balance as a student with a job but posting each detail of my day on the internet inspired me to find the time to stay active and have fun despite how busy I was with school and work.
To be fully honest I was quite apprehensive about going to school in the midwest. It was cold and flat! Very different from the Seattle area where I grew up. Throughout my four years at Carleton I fell in love with Minnesota, it will always have a special place in my heart. I enjoyed spending time at the lake, skiing in Welch villege, and driving up to Minneapolis and St Paul for social events. I grew to enjoy the cold and how the weather seemed to bring the community together.
Carleton was more than I could have ever hoped for. The courses I took taught me everything I needed to prepare for medical school. The liberal arts education pushed me to question, and to remain curious in an ever changing world. As a Biology major I worked in a research lab with c. elegans (nematode worms) and enjoyed working with Profesor Jennifer Wolff. I think the biggest thing I learned is that there is still so much we dont know! The field of science is ever changing and developing and its really exciting to me. I also completed minors in Spanish and Dance. I arrived to Carleton with very little Spanish skills and Im leaving with not only the ability to speak the language but a greater understanding of Spanish-speaking cultures, historical inequities, and issues that continue today. In October I will be teaching English at an elementary school in Madrid, Spain before beginning medical school in (hopefully!) the fall of 2025. As a dance minor I was a member of Semaphore dance company, I learned so much about dance and greatly enjoyed learning, choreographing, and performing. I got to work with Judith Howard and Jennifer Bader, two dance professors who inspired me probably more than they’ll ever know. I also got to make a dance film, you can find it on youtube its titled “Carpe Diem, a dance film by Emilie Scott”. The biggest thing Carleton gave me however, was the people. Each student at Carleton is incredibly unique. Theres a phrase, “Carleton quirky” and its really true! Everyone I crossed paths with was kind, intelligent, and talented in their own ways. I made lifelong friendships and I felt so lucky to have spent four years in Northfield.
Back home in Washington, my nursing experience in Northfield landed me a position in an emergency department. I truly don’t think I could have gotten this position without the experience as a CNA in Minnesota. Working in an ED taught me a lot about people, and the world, and I discussed a lot of this experience in my medical school applications.
As Im writing this I am home in Seattle Washington, still working at the Emergency Department as I prepare to move to Spain in a few weeks. I still make daily vlogs on tik tok and continue to be inspired by the small community I’ve built there.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Of course not! As I discussed previously the pandemic presented many personal challenges. Working in nursing throughout COVID-19 taught me a lot about myself and my resilience. The courses at Carleton were hard and I no longer had the straight A’s that I had experienced in High School. I learned a lot and persevered, each challenge was worth it. Now I am applying to medical school and continue to chase my dreams. As cheesey as it sounds I always turn back to the quote by Nelson Mandela “the greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but rising everytime we fall”.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I enjoy sharing how I find balance in my daily vlogs, I have a lot of personal pursuits, hobbies, and passions and I think they are all on display throughout my vlogs. I enjoy capturing both the exciting and mundane parts of life and try to capture the beauty of everything through my camera and phone lens.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
I grew up with four siblings and a single mother who also happens to be a surgeon. My mom is a superhero and the reason I am where I am today. I remember enjoying helping my mom work on various projects around the house, she is very crafty and was always painting a wall, replacing a window or door, and working in the garden. She always kept chocolate in the freezer (if you haven’t tried this, you should!). She called it “working girl chocolate” and after we had finished working on a project for the day she would pull out the chocolate and we’d enjoy it together. Im not sure why this memory has stuck with me so much but I think it was somewhat formative. My mom taught me to work hard, and treat yourself along the way!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emiliedances?igsh=ZHJiNmF5dnNvMXo%3D&utm_source=qr
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@emiliescott?si=fwGKRmOri3yD9FBu
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@emiliescott?_t=8p5r5ad9hGw&_r=1
