Dr. Giana Dalben ’07

Please describe your position and what you enjoy most about it.

I work as an urgent care physician and really enjoy taking care of many patients with different health concerns throughout the day.

What aspects of your HLGU experience helped you prepare for your career?

I had wonderful professors who believed in me and encouraged me to pursue higher learning.

What have you enjoyed most about your career?

Thinking quickly and working efficiently in order to provide appropriate and compassionate medical care to many patients during my workday.

Have you or are you currently continuing your education? If so, please list the institution(s) and degree(s) you earned or are working toward.

I completed a masters degree in International Relations (2009) and worked on a doctorate in Humanities for a couple of years though I decided not to finish my PhD in order to use the time to attend medical school to complete an MD instead (2018).

How did HLGU shape you as a person?

During my time at HLG, I learned to be humble and empathetic, act kindly and respectfully, and be a good listener.

Please share a specific example from your career or life when the skills you gained at HLGU helped you most.

I am able to really listen attentively to my patients and their needs and provide them with appropriate treatments without jumping to conclusions that may not be correct.

What professional accomplishment are you most proud of?

Completing medical school and residency

What HLGU professors played a part in your success? How did your relationship with faculty help you succeed?

Mrs. Burt and Dr. Shults played a very important role in my academic life. Being a non-native English speaker, I knew I would have to work very hard to be able to read challenging/sophisticated materials and take standardized tests. I worked closely with Mrs. Burt during my 3rd and 4th years at HLG and feel that my reading comprehension and writing abilities really flourished during that time. Since then, I have worked on a masters degree and two doctorates and was able to not only successfully write many papers but also passed many standardized tests where having the ability to read and comprehend challenging language/writing really made all the difference. Dr. Shults was a kind mentor who provided me with wonderful advice, kept me in his prayers, and really encouraged me later on when I decided to follow my call to medicine.

Please list any scholarships, honors, or awards you received as an undergraduate or graduate.

Honors/academic scholarship at HLG
Chief of resident scheduling at the University of Massachusetts Family Medicine residency

Do you have any tips to share with students interested in this field?

Study hard, work hard, and pray harder! Look for opportunities everywhere and network. Find support and people who will always be in your corner when you need them.

What are some of your favorite HLGU memories?

I enjoyed going to Java Jive with my friends and actually met some really wonderful people who made an impact on my life. I also had the opportunity to go to the Philippines for medical missions twice with Dr. Bill Horstmeyer, thanks to being at HLG. During those mission trips, I realized that I could best use my “knowledge for service” as a healthcare worker.

HLGU’s motto is “knowledge for service.” What roles have these values played in your life?

Knowledge for service is something I live by. Every day I am seeing patients, I need to be able to use knowledge to provide them with appropriate medical care.