Riley Mills

What is your position at UNC-Chapel Hill, and how long have you been associated with the University?

I am an Admin Support Associate at the University Employee Occupational Health Clinic (UEOHC). I began working at the UEOHC in June of 2023, one month after graduating with my bachelor’s from UNC. In all, that would make my time with the University about five years.

How did you initiate your career in this field or what led you to your current position?

As I was approaching graduation last spring, I was looking for positions where I could apply previous knowledge and experience, as well as learn new skills and gain new areas of expertise. As such, this position with EHS seemed like a great opportunity to learn about a field with which I had little prior experience. I was also drawn to the fact that working in a clinic environment would give me the opportunity to give back to the UNC community.

Which sectors of the University does your role impact, and in what ways does it contribute to those areas of work?

The UEOHC has two primary functions: medical surveillance and providing first care for work-related injuries and illnesses. Medical surveillance is important for keeping employees safe, as it identifies and addresses areas of possible risk. For example, a few of the services we provide under medical surveillance are mask fit tests, physicals, and vaccinations, which are given at no cost to the employee. The second function, first care, means that our clinic will see any University employee who was injured on the job. Our wonderful healthcare team does the lion’s share of the work in actually seeing patients, and I provide support by keeping all of our files organized, entering forms for Workers’ Compensation claims, and checking employees in for their appointments.

What advice do you have for those interested in entering a career in your line of work?

Since my role is not highly specialized, I was able to learn all the functions of my position on the job. So, if someone were to try and get a position like mine, I would simply give them the advice to be open to learning and to be organized!