Moving Forward

Plans for the Rest of My Time at UMD

For the remainder of my time at UMD, I plan to complete my final prerequisite courses and continue preparing for the University of Maryland School of Nursing, which I will attend in Fall 2026. I will continue gaining healthcare experience and strengthening the clinical and interpersonal skills needed for nursing school.

Post-Graduation and Career Goals

After completing nursing school, I plan to become a registered nurse. My goal is to provide compassionate, patient-centered care and support individuals through recovery, rehabilitation, and long-term health management. My practicum experience in physical therapy showed me how important mobility, empathy, and teamwork are in improving patient outcomes, which I hope to apply throughout my nursing career.

Through my experience in the Global Public Health Scholars program and my physical therapy practicum, I developed skills such as communication, organization, and professionalism. The two skills I strengthened the most were:

1. Teamwork in a Healthcare Setting

An important skill I developed was teamwork within a healthcare environment. During my practicum at a physical therapy facility, I learned how each healthcare professional plays a specific role while working toward the shared goal of improving patient mobility and overall health. Watching how staff coordinated patient schedules, shared information, and supported one another helped me understand the importance of collaboration in healthcare. 

This skill will advance my nursing career because nursing requires constant teamwork with physicians, therapists, and other healthcare professionals. Understanding how to function effectively within a healthcare team will allow me to contribute to coordinated patient care and improve patient outcomes.

2. Professional Growth and Confidence

Professional confidence was also a skill that I learned to develop over time. Through completing assignments, reflecting on my practicum, and preparing my poster presentation, I became more comfortable presenting my experiences and discussing healthcare topics in a professional setting. The Global Public Health program pushed me to think about my career goals and develop professional materials such as my resume, LinkedIn profile, and ePortfolio.