Georgia Southern University medical laboratory science student Lauren Frank recently edged ahead of student hopefuls from around the country to earn a six-month medical laboratory assistant clinical rotation at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida.

U.S. News & World Report ranked the Mayo Clinic as the No. 1 hospital overall and No. 1 in more specialties than any other hospital in the nation in its 2018-2019 rankings of top hospitals.

Frank, who chose the Armstrong Campus for its beauty and renowned health professions program, said that landing a spot at Mayo Clinic was more than an accomplishment; it was the realization of a childhood dream.

“It means so much to be chosen for a clinical rotation at the Mayo Clinic,” she noted. “It has always been a dream of mine to work at Mayo.”

Diagnosed with a rare type of cancer at age five, Nashville, Tennessee, native Frank said her experiences in the hospital encouraged her pursuit of a degree in the medical field so that she could help others in the same way she was helped.

“I chose medical laboratory sciences so that I could aid in the diagnosis and treatment of those who are suffering from life-threatening illnesses,” she said.

Upon completion of the clinical rotation, Frank will graduate in December and hopes to attend medical school to become a pediatric oncologist.

The Medical Laboratory Science program at Georgia Southern, housed within the Waters College of Health Professions, is the largest in the state. Medical laboratory scientists are trained to provide essential clinical information to healthcare providers and are responsible for assuring reliable results that contribute to the prevention, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of physiological and pathological conditions.

With three top-ranked campuses in Jacksonville, Florida; Phoenix, Arizona; and Rochester, Minnesota, Mayo Clinic’s specialized experts treat rare and complex conditions for more than one million patients a year.