Linsey Marchione '16
Linsey Marchione got her first job in health care when she was 18. As an undergraduate at the University at Albany majoring in public health, working as a pharmacy technician gave her a hands-on introduction to the field. Two years later, Linsey took a position as an emergency room secretary at a second hospital, and two years after that she began working as a data analyst. All this before she earned her bachelor’s degree.
When it was time to pursue her master’s, Linsey knew she wanted to continue her healthcare studies, but she was uncertain about the path. While her undergraduate studies reinforced her choice of fields, Linsey wanted to approach her continued studies from another perspective.
“I knew I wanted to stay at UAlbany because it is such a valuable and affordable resource. But I was looking for a different approach to health care, something that would help me better understand patients and their needs. Communication was an unexpected fit.”
One of four concentrations offered through the Communication program, Linsey chose health as her focus of study. She quickly came to appreciate all of its advantages, including small classes, peer collaboration, engaging coursework and strong relationships with faculty.
Approaching health care from this new perspective also helped Linsey become a more capable and confident communicator, especially with senior hospital administration. Under the guidance of her faculty advisor, Linsey was able to integrate research from her analyst position into the capstone project.
“Working and taking evening classes at the same time was a huge advantage. I was able to apply what I learned in the classroom directly to my job at the hospital, and my boss took notice.”
Now with her Communication M.A. in hand, Linsey looks forward to what lies ahead in her career.
“I definitely did what I set out to do — see my profession from a different perspective and make deeper personal connections. I produced good work, made great connections and accomplished things I didn’t think possible in two years. It was a worthwhile experience.”
