Walking into my annual checkup, I never expected I would run into someone who had attended and graduated from Pine View—especially not in scrubs.
Between the blood-pressure cuffs and reflex hammers, I was prepared for the routine intake questions from the medical student on rounds—allergies, medications, shots—and eventually, she asked me where I go to high school.
Naturally, I replied with “Pine View,” expecting the usual response of being asked what the courses were like at a gifted school, or even a brief nod.
What I did not see coming was a smile spreading across her face as she said, “Me too!”
Just like that, a sterile doctor’s office became the site of an unexpected reunion, and the Florida State University (FSU) patches on her white coat felt much closer to home. Curious about her path after graduating from Pine View, I asked if she would share her story.
Paola Piascik, a third year medical student at FSU and 2019 alumna from the University of Florida, has followed a relatively straightforward path since graduating from Pine View in 2016—though, nothing is without its struggles.
“It’s really different, being in college with such a big campus, whereas Pine View is kind of a small school,” Piascik said. “I had Mr. Wiley multiple times, but you don’t always get to build those same relationships with your professors.”
Piascik chose to pursue medicine for reasons many share— a desire to help people, live comfortably, and simultaneously make a positive change. She has recently begun “rounds” as most juniors in medical school do, working at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Outpatient Care in Lakewood Ranch.
“There’s not really anything Pine View didn’t prepare me for…[but I didn’t expect] the workload,” Piascik said. “Time management is really hard, especially as a third year when you’re on rounds at the clinic and studying at the same time.”
Nine years after graduation, Piascik’s journey still mirrors that of current Pine View students. Carys Smith, a junior at Pine View, has committed herself to a dedicated medical school trajectory.
“I volunteered at a clinic, and it was kind of the turning point for me because it made me a better person,” Smith said. “[I started a blog] that focused on children’s physical and mental health…I had a whole lot of free time and I wanted to explore because I knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my life.”
Piascik and Smith’s interest in the health of children is a shared trait, but their approaches are different. While Piascik has been approaching the world of general pediatrics through her work at the clinic, Smith aspires to become a dermatologist to help kids and teenagers with acne and improve their confidence.
That said, Smith is still open to exploring different aspects of medicine. She has applied for numerous summer programs and is the founder and president of Pine View’s Premed Club.
“I think it [Premed Club] is going to help a lot of people find their path,” Smith said. “I’m really drawn to planning my future, so that helps, but I want to be careful, because I don’t want to be the type of doctor who tears people down.”
That compassion is not only being practiced by Smith as she finds her path after Pine View, but being embraced by Piascik as she takes on the challenges of navigating her career and beyond.
“I have to remind myself to take a break sometimes,” she said. “Finding a balance can be really difficult…you’re never going to be perfectly balanced, but even just trying your best to find time for your work and stuff like your family can make a huge difference.”
As former Pine View students such as Piascik go about their lives, current Pine View students like Smith are just beginning to discover theirs. These stories are reminders that life after high school looks different for everybody, and sometimes, those trajectories can cross at the most ordinary of places— such as the doctor’s office.
Walking out of my appointment, I realized that unexpected connections like the one I made with Piascik— or even the similarities between the career aspirations she and Smith share— make the future feel less intimidating.
Life after high school does not have to be one giant leap— it can be taken just one step, one choice, and one intake form at a time.