Selma Sosic '22

Current Role:

Emory & Henry University PA student (2nd year)

Location:

Marion, Virginia

Inspiration for PA School:

"My journey toward being a Physician Assistant began with my family's experiences as Bosnian war refugees, where limited access to healthcare left a lasting impression on me. Over time, my love for medicine grew into a passion for listening to patients, understanding their concerns, and making sure their medical needs are met and understood. My work as an EMT, pharamacy technician, and in public health has shown me the challenges patients face and the value of compassionate, patient-centered care. As a PA, I am committed to serving patients from all background with dignity, respect, and advocacy."

Impact of the Canter:

"At the Center, I helped analyse Community Health Assessment data from hospitals and healthcare systems across Virginia. Our team reviewed survey results, compared them to census data, and measured how well the surveyed populations reflected their communities. By closely examining demographics like age, gender, and race, we learned to identify underrepresented groups and the systemic barriers that limit access to care. These findings helped shape initiatives like Melrose Plaza, which now offers a grocery store, adult education programs, and wellness and financial services in a historically underserved neighborhood. Through this work, I saw how CHA data can reveal gaps in resources and provide a roadmap for projects that bring a real, measurable improvement to the community."

How did your experience at the Center for Community Health Innovation influence your career or academic goals?

"My time at the Center reinforced my desire to pursue a career in healthcare that addresses both individual and community needs. Seeing how data could reveal disparties and huide targeted intervention inspired me to become a Physician Assistant who is not only clinically skilled but also mindful of the public health context surrounding patient care."

Can you share a specific experience or project from your time at the Center that helped shape your professional identity. 

"Over the course of CHA research project in 2021, we reviwed demographics data from multiple service areas and realizing how rural and minority groups, were underrepresented. Recognizing these gaps made me more aware of the quiet but significant ways healthcare systems can overlook communities, and it strengthened my commitment to advocation for patients who might otherwise go unheard."

What skilles or values did you gain from working at the Center that you still use today?

"I gained the ability to analyze conmplex data sets and identify meaningful trends, as well as the skill to translate those findings into strategies that address real-world health needs. More importantly, I developed a deeper awareness of social, cultural, and systemic factors impact health outcomes, and I carry that awareness into every patient interaction."

What advice would you give vurrent students working at the Center or considering a career in Community Health Innovation?

"Pay attention to the real-world impact behind the data. At the Center, I learned that numbers only matter if you understand what they mean for people and communities they representt. Ask questions, think critically, and look for patterns that reveal needs or barriers. The value comes from turning those insights into action, whether improving access, targeting outreach, or making systems work better for the people they serve. Research like the Community Health Assessment data we worked with identified barriers suhc as limitied access to fresh food, educational opportunities, and wellness resources. Those findings helped guide the vision for Melrose Plaza, which now delivers resources that directly improve daily life in the community."

Looking back, what dpes being a "changemaker" mean to you now?

"Being a changemaker is not a single moment or action. It is a deliberate, layered process that takes time. It starts with gathering the right data, asking the right questions, and being willing to see the problem fromevery angle. It requires many voices from different backgrounds and organizations working toward a shared goal. At the Center, I saw how this process turned numbers on a spreadsheet into something tangible, like Melrose Plaza. That experience showed me that real change is built step by step untii it becomes something people can see, feel, and use."