Major: Biology, minor in Spanish
Destination: UCLA’s Master’s Entry Clinical Nursing Program
Why do you want to be a nurse?
When I entered college, I had only the vague idea that I wanted to help people. I was drawn to the medical field, but, at first, no particular career really stood out to me. I found nursing almost by process of elimination: I shadowed surgeons and medical technicians, worked at a physical therapy office, did research (both in the field and in the lab), and volunteered with nurses in four departments of the hospital. I spoke with people in all the different roles about their day-to-day work, patient interaction and work-life balance. I began to realize that, of the people I encountered, nurses seemed to have the most patient interaction and the best rapport with their patients. I saw how essential nursing is for patients’ recovery, and met compassionate, caring nurses throughout the hospital. I interviewed many nurses and found they enjoy job stability and flexibility, which for many equates to a reasonable work-life balance. I also learned that opportunities within the field of nursing are diverse, and that there is room for career growth in many different directions.
I wish I could say that one day I just woke up and knew that I wanted to be a nurse, but the truth is that it’s an evolving decision. My pursuit of nursing has been based upon the combination of my experiences and the decision to find a career that fits my other life goals as well as my career goals. I would love to eventually become a nurse practitioner, possibly in geriatrics- an area I think will continue to develop in order to meet the needs of our growing elderly population.
How did you get there?
Once I decided that I wanted to be a nurse, towards the middle of my junior year of college, I threw myself into researching how to become one. I spent many hours on the internet, reading about the different degree levels within nursing, and the many ways to get there. At first, I wanted to find a program that would prepare me to become a nurse practitioner (NP) right away, but over a period of months realized that there were not very many options for that kind of career leap, nor was it very smart to become a NP without previous experience as a nurse. Once I decided I would become a registered nurse first, my options opened up and it became easier to determine what to do next. I decided to apply to Entry Level Master’s Programs and Accelerated Bachelor’s programs, for which I took 6 prerequisite courses that were not offered at The Claremont Colleges (over the summer, online in my last semester, and also after I graduated).
If I’m going to be honest, it was a difficult transition. But now that I have committed to a program, I am excited again. To anyone struggling with deciding what to do for their next step, I will just say this: sometimes you can only find what you like by first eliminating what you don’t like. In that process, ask yourself what aspects of your life are most important to you, and make sure you don’t lose track of those when choosing a career. Also, for anyone interested in pursuing nursing, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me; I’d be happy to help!