Oenick-Jared - News at UNG

Despite galore challenges, Jared Oenick leads wrong and extracurricular of the biology labs connected the University of North Georgia's (UNG) Dahlonega Campus with his extremity of aesculapian schoolhouse ne'er acold from his mind.

Oenick was diagnosed with polycystic kidney illness arsenic an babe and received his archetypal kidney transplant astatine the property of 8 years old. The kidney lasted 10 years, and present helium needs different kidney and a liver.

"My doctors thought it mightiness beryllium polycystic liver disease, but it was congenital hepatic fibrosis," Oenick said. "Not caused by thing I had done, it was conscionable thing uncontrollable I was calved with."

Oenick, who anticipates a grade successful biology with a insignificant successful neuroscience May 2023, continues to beryllium connected kidney and liver transplant hold lists, waiting for a cadaver donor arsenic helium takes dialysis 3 times a week successful Gainesville, Georgia.

When helium transferred from Clayton State University successful Morrow, Georgia, to UNG aft finishing his freshman year, helium was acceptable connected becoming a caregiver anesthetist, thing helium thought would beryllium "a bully gig."

It was aft helium went connected dialysis that helium realized helium wanted to bash thing on the lines of nephrology (kidney disease) oregon transplantation. Ideally, he'd similar to bash probe successful xenotransplantation, the transplantation of a genetically modified organ into humans, portion practicing arsenic a nephrologist.

"I saw each these radical hooked up to these machines and I thought we should person a cure for this oregon a solution to this organ shortage situation by now," Oenick said. "That's what inspired maine to spell from nursing to pre-med."

He remembers the infinitesimal vividly erstwhile helium decided to alteration majors. He was successful a country of transportation nursing majors and the question was asked if anyone was successful the incorrect room, and helium raised his manus saying helium should beryllium with biology majors.

Oenick took the pb successful UNG biology labs arsenic 1 of 12 UNG students to person participated successful a task funded by Faculty Undergraduate Summer Engagement probe grants successful 2022. He focused his probe connected phages, a microorganism that kills antibiotic-resistant bacteria, nether the guidance of Dr. Alison Kanak, adjunct prof of biology, and Dr. Ryan Shanks, prof of biology, to make a caller protocol for obtaining and isolating phage from the environment. This protocol uses resources from the existent method and is intended for usage successful Honors Introduction to Biology and perchance different courses.

He has besides taken the pb successful respective organizations and he's noticed a alteration successful his enactment style.

"I conscionable similar to get things done. I privation to beryllium connected apical of things," helium said. "I'm not bully astatine delegating, but I'm learning to trust much connected others."

Despite wellness concerns and grueling world and enactment schedules, Oenick finds clip for fellowship successful a assortment of pupil organizations.

"Sometimes I look astatine my beingness and wonderment however I got here. I ever knew I wanted to bash medicine, but I ne'er thought I'd beryllium applying to aesculapian school," Oenick said. "Dialysis was a turning point. When they told maine I needed different kidney and a liver, I had to halt and measure my aboriginal plans. For immoderate reason, alternatively of wallowing successful getting down astir it, it energized maine adjacent more. It's been rather the journey."