If you don't know what you want to do, start small and climb the ladder. You might learn about one job by working a different job. You can learn more about that job, meet different staff members -- doctors, nurses, allied health staff -- so you can ask them questions about their jobs. Mayo is a great learning environment.

My job involves a lot of direct patient contact: taking vital signs, walking patients, changing dressings, encouraging patients and maybe taking them outside if they are feeling down. Sometimes I work one-on-one with a patient for private duty or I can be on the floor working with many patients. I work evenings, from 3 to 11:30 p.m., which allows me to work and go to school at the same time. I also work every other weekend.

I like the variety of my job and the direct patient care. I get to meet all types of patients, young, old, from other states and other backgrounds. You get to see and learn a lot in this environment, both medically and personally. People skills are vital. You are communicating with patients all the time about their treatments, encouraging them and answering questions.

Mayo Clinic is a nationally-ranked hospital and people come here from all over. You meet people from different cultures and status levels. It is pretty interesting ... it makes you proud to be a part of Mayo, knowing that you actually made a difference in someone's life.