Tag: Career Community: Health

Name: Diane (McDonnell) Pickles

Class Year: 1989

Title: Program Director, Project Singular

Organization Name: Additional Ventures

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail? 

I lead a direct to participant genetic sequencing study of patients with single ventricle heart disease and their immediate family members to fuel research to find curative solutions for this rare, complex disease.

 

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you?  

My first job after college was in substance abuse prevention education which led me to tobacco control policy work.  I worked on local policy change efforts for several years and then served as Executive Director of a statewide coalition that spearheaded the successful 2004 campaign to make all workplaces in Massachusetts smoke-free.  From there, I moved to a policy advocacy consulting firm where I spent more than a decade working for non-profit organizations helping them advance their mission through policy change.  My passion for advocacy was largely fueled by the unexpected and life-changing experience of having a child born with a rare, complex, life-threatening condition called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome for which there are no curative treatments, only palliative interventions.  I found it unacceptable that I could bring my sick child into a family restaurant and have someone light up a cigarette at the next table.  Moreover, I had to learn how to be an advocate in so many ways, in so many places, and on so many issues – with the healthcare system, insurance companies, the school system, and employers.  Having a sick child who required three open heart surgeries before the age of 2 and ongoing medical interventions also dramatically impacted my career choices in terms of when, where, and how I was able to work.  I needed to take several years off from my career and then could only return part time.  Even after I was able to return full-time, work was a challenging juggling act and required understanding and accommodating employers combined with a great deal of hard work and commitment.  Throughout these years, I volunteered on several congenital heart disease initiatives because it felt essential to try to turn my family’s experience into something good for others.  Approximately 4 years ago, I decided to make a radical career shift and move away from policy advocacy and into the field of cardiovascular research.  For the past 2 years, I have been able to combine my personal passions with my professional skills and work for a nonprofit research foundation dedicated to finding treatments that will enable normal longevity and quality of life for patients with single ventricle heart disease like my son.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

I was a Student Alcohol Advisor (I believe now called SWEET Peer Educators) for two years.  I also worked off-campus at a Worcester law firm as a legal secretary.

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

I was a Psychology major because I found it really interesting, but it honestly didn’t impact my career decisions (please don’t quote me to my parents or professors!).  I really thought I would go to graduate school or law school, become a lawyer or a teacher or a child psychologist – but life had other plans.  However, I do know that it provided me with a solid educational foundation for understanding human behavior and motivations, learning to problem solve effectively, and enjoying research and inquiry.

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

• Writing:  I arrived at Holy Cross thinking I was a pretty good writer, but I had a lot to learn.  It’s a skill I continue to hone, but I know it was strengthened tremendously at Holy Cross.
• Hard work and persistence:  While this may not fit into the “skills” bucket, I believe this is one of the things I learned a great deal about while at Holy Cross.  More than anything else, my drive to work hard and be persistent have enabled my successes in both my personal life and my professional life, giving me what I needed to overcome the most difficult challenges.

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

My father liked to say, “If you want to give God a good laugh, tell him your plans.”  My life has not at all gone in the direction or along the path I envisioned, but I cannot imagine my career having progressed any differently.  Each step of my career prepared me for the next, and I learned so much along the way.  My advice is to dream big but don’t let your dreams prevent you from taking and learning all you can from where you are.  You can’t necessarily plan what’s around the next corner, but if you dedicate yourself to what you’re doing right now, you will be prepared for the next opportunity.  Work hard, be kind, and trust in yourself and your abilities.

 

Name: Jenna Barnes

Class Year: 2021

Title: Clinical Research Coordinator

Organization Name: Massachusetts General Hospital – Cardiac Surgery Department

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?

I collaborate with cardiac surgeons, cardiologists, and sponsors to coordinate a wide variety of clinical trials at MGH that aim to inform and advance treatment options for patients with advanced heart failure and/or those undergoing cardiac surgery.

 

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you? 

My experiences outside the classroom really shaped my desire to pursue a career in medicine, and I knew Mass General Hospital was a renowned academic medical center where I could envision myself in my future career. After speaking with medical students and those applying to medical school about their gap years, I learned of the extensive Clinical Research Coordinator opportunities in various departments at MGH and other nearby hospitals. I was ultimately drawn to my CRC position in Cardiac Surgery because of the opportunity to work on a big team of research coordinators with multiple Principal Investigators on a diverse range of clinical trials in a field and patient population of interest to me.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

I was a four-year member of the Women’s Soccer team. I conducted undergraduate research in Professor Petty’s chemistry research lab, starting out in the Weiss Summer Research Program and continuing throughout the school year. I spent my senior year working as an emergency department scribe at UMass Memorial Medical Center (Memorial Campus) through ScribeAmerica, and I also volunteered at the front desk of the UMass University Campus ED. Through the SPUD program, I volunteered as a weekly classroom assistant at Quinsigamond Elementary, and along with my teammates, I volunteered for Special Olympics, Girls Inc. of Worcester, and HC Dance Marathon.

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

The chemistry major allowed me to explore wet lab research as well as applications in both medicine and the pharmaceutical industry. I was able to apply some of my chemistry knowledge during a summer internship conducting pharmaceutical research aimed towards developing cancer vaccines. After thoroughly enjoying my experiences in more clinical settings down the line, I ultimately decided to prepare to apply for medical school and the chemistry major’s overlap with pre-medical course requirements was very helpful.

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

Holy Cross helped me develop my ability to understand and appreciate different perspectives and backgrounds, particularly when engaging with vulnerable populations or working on a team. This has translated well to my position, where I must collaborate with a large team of providers and researchers with different ideas, as well as respect and be sensitive to the cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds of our patients.

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

I would advise students to use their time outside of the classroom to the fullest, particularly to engage with diverse communities and form meaningful connections with programs or individuals in and around Worcester. I highly recommend working as a medical scribe – it is a great opportunity to directly observe physician-patient interactions and learn medical processes/terminology. Also, take advantage of our strong alumni network – do not be afraid to reach out to alumni in your desired field for general career advice, shadowing opportunities, etc.

Name: Cal St. Denis

Class Year: 2008

Title: Global Director, Environmental Sustainability MedTech

Organization Name: Johnson & Johnson

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?

I help to set the 2030 J&J MedTech sustainable products and packaging strategy while developing key goals and metrics for organizational alignment, business integration, global customer collaboration and critical executive stakeholder support.

 

 

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you? 

Dr. Michael Hallisey, an Interventional Radiologist at Hartford Hospital, a devoted alum and a good friend, reached out to the 3 Pre-Meds on our ice hockey team to gauge our interest in a summer internship. I politely declined, citing more interest in the business of healthcare versus the clinical side of medicine. He continued to support my journey and went out of his way to introduce me to friends of his in Pharma, Biotech, and MedTech. From there, I began a networking journey throughout senior spring, introducing myself to as many folks as I could and seeking every opportunity to meet new people in the industry. I have always appreciated having a career knowing that my products and the solutions I offer can help patients retore their health and wellbeing.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

I was a 4 year member of the Men’s Ice Hockey team and a Bio-PreMed major. While I have always appreciated the need to give back to the communities that I have lived, my academic and athletic schedule didn’t afford me the opportunity to join any on-campus volunteer programs. So in my sophomore year, I created Crusaders for Kids, a program built around men’s ice hockey and men’s basketball’s busy schedules that worked with Grafton Elementary school inner city students. The kids were identified by the school principal as lacking male role models (due to incarceration or single family households) and our goal was to bring these young men out to watch Crusaders athletic events on campus, have movie nights in Blackstone, or play basketball on the campus courts and just be kids. We knew it was a success when the kids would have contests for who could be the last dropped off in our shuttle vans after the events were over! Upon graduation, the program was recognized by the college and the NCAA in ways I could never have imagined, but the best part of all was that it was adopted by underclassmen and lived on as a legacy for years later. 

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

I was a Bio major with a Pre-Medical concentration. I knew early on that the clinical side of Medicine was not for me but the challenge of Pre-Med intrigued me, so I stayed the course. I always appreciated that people get hurt and need to recover or people get sick and need to heal. So healthcare was always going to be my focus out of undergrad. 

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

Listening with intent. I pride myself on listening to my teams, my customers, my leadership and others around me. It helps me make informed decisions and educates me on what others are feeling and experiencing. 

Emotional intelligence. I went on to study EI further in graduate school and feel strongly that social awareness and bringing the best out of people has profound effects on productivity and camaraderie. Holy Cross helped shape this skill and made me aware of the importance of leveraging it.  

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

Enjoy. Every. Second. Every midterm, every lab, every experiment, every home game, every final can feel stressful but they prepare you for the curve balls of life. Enjoy them. I truly believe that a Holy Cross education, the rigors of late nights in Dinand and the laughs with friends on Caro Street, helps define who you become as a person, a friend, a parent, a colleague, an alum. When I asked Dr. Hallisey what I could do to thank him for his support back in 2008, he shared with me the most profound advice – “Just do your part when it’s your turn to give back”.

Name: Brianna Medeiros

Class Year: 2012

Title: Brianna Medeiros, APRN, NNP-BC

Organization Name: Women & Infants Hospital

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?

I am a Nurse Practitioner in the Neonatal ICU (NICU) where I manage patient care, attend deliveries and perform resuscitative duties, perform various procedures, consult with specialists, and most importantly support patients and their families throughout their NICU stay.

 

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you? 

For as long as I can remember, I was always interested in a career in the medical field, and planned to work closely with children and families. While at Holy Cross, I took all of the pre-medical requirements and in my senior year, participated in the Internship Program where I spent a semester shadowing professionals in the NICU at UMass Memorial Hospital. After this experience, I knew that working in the NICU was my calling. I spent the first year after graduation working in clinical research at Rhode Island Hospital while contemplating my future plans. During that time, I discovered that I was interested in more of a “hands-on” role, similar to that of the nurses, so the next step for me was enrolling in nursing school. I graduated in 2015 with my RN and immediately applied to every NICU job I could find, which led me on a cross-country move to Arizona where they hired me as a new-grad RN. After a year of experience, I moved back to the Boston area and continued working as a NICU RN. As time elapsed, I knew that I wanted to be able to do more in terms of both patient management and hands-on skills such as procedures and resuscitations. In 2021 I graduated from the University of Connecticut as a Nurse Practitioner with my Master’s Degree specializing in Neonatal Medicine. Overall, I knew prior to Holy Cross that I wanted to pursue a career in medicine but it was through the different experiences both on and off campus that my path evolved into the career that I now have.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

I participated in a number of different activities, including Novice Crew, SPUD, Eco-Action, Campus Ministry, 4 years of spring break service trips, and the Tanzania immersion trip.

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

My major was Psychology and I was on the pre-medical track. I found Psychology to be very interesting and I thought that it would aid me well in my career as a medical provider. The pre-medical courses were very rigorous and I found myself less interested in medical school and more interested in other medical careers as time progressed. In hindsight, it was the best case scenario because it led me to the career that I am incredibly happy with and offers me a wonderful work-life balance that I don’t believe I would have if I chose to move forward with medical school.

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

Teamwork and a sense of community/compassion for others outlined most activities at Holy Cross, both academic and social. Teamwork was essential during labs, group projects, and for successful studying. A sense of community was present in all aspects of campus life, from the extracurricular activities (e.g. SPUD) to campus ministry, spring break immersions, and sporting events. As a Nurse Practitioner, I am completely dependent on teamwork and collaborate with nurses, respiratory therapists, physicians, social workers, and so many others on a daily basis; and of course compassion for others is the foundation of all (quality) medical care.

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

Enjoy the time you have on the Hill because it goes by so incredibly fast and take advantage of special opportunities you have while there. To this day I regret not studying abroad and in hindsight it would have been so worthwhile to spend that time even if it meant not finishing all of my pre-medical requirements. Ultimately, I did not need them anyway! If you are unsure about what you want to do in your career, use the opportunities that HC provides to explore – take advantage of the Internship and networking opportunities. There will be plenty of time after graduation to figure out your next steps, but there are so many opportunities on the Hill that you cannot take with you after you leave.

Name: Oswaldo Subillaga

Class Year: 2016

Title: Medical Student

Organization:  Alpert Medical School of Brown University

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?  

As a fourth year medical student, I am in the midst of residency interviews (for general surgery!) and completing clinical electives that will help me to become a well-rounded surgical resident.

 

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you?  

I was able to shadow two wonderful surgeons at UMass Memorial Medical Center through the academic internship program at HC. While I already had an interest in medicine, that experience introduced me to the world of surgery which is ultimately the field that I plan on pursuing.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?  

While at HC, I was a RA, peer mentor, admissions interviewer, co-chair of LASO, and SPUD volunteer.

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?  

My major was political science and I also did my premedical requirements knowing that I wanted to go into medical school after college.

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work? 

Having to argue for a point of view in a short essay at HC has helped me to convey information accurately and concisely in both clinical and non-clinical scenarios. Surgeons, in particular, like brevity.

 

6. What advice do you have for students today?

Take advantage of the mentorship opportunities at Holy Cross and maintain those connections even after you leave the hill. Oh, and pay it forward.

Name: Nicole Falan

Class Year: 2020

Title: Post-Baccalaureate Fellow

Organization: National Institutes of Health

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail? 

I am a post-baccalaureate fellow at the National Institutes of Health and I research how to prevent medication-induced hearing loss, which affects millions of people globally.

 

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and first employer after Holy Cross?

I knew I wanted to start my professional career in scientific research when I was performing research in Professor Alexis Hill’s neurobiology lab. By working in the lab during the school year and participating in the Weiss Summer Research Program, I discovered my passion for scientific investigation. Knowing of my strong interest in research, Professor Alexis Hill was the first to tell me of the NIH post-baccalaureate IRTA fellowship and encouraged me to apply. The Center for Career Development and the Office of Distinguished Fellowships and Graduate Studies provided helpful feedback on my application and held mock interviews with me. My educational background in chemistry and neuroscience, recommendations from professors, and the reputation of the Holy Cross science department all contributed to my success in obtaining the position at the National Institutes of Health.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

I was heavily involved in the Best Buddies, Holy Cross Wishmakers, and Big Brothers Big Sisters clubs while on campus.

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

My interest in science led me to major in chemistry and minor in neuroscience. My passion for neuroscience led me to perform research in Professor Hill’s neurobiology lab and my positive experience from the lab helped me to determine that I wanted to go into scientific research following graduation.

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

At my current job, I use many skills that I learned and cultivated while at Holy Cross, such as the critical-thinking skills I used in my chemistry courses, and tangible skills such as confocal microscopy that I learned in the Hill lab.

 

6. What advice would you give to current students? 

My advice for students to take advantage of the many opportunities that Holy Cross offers. Find a mentor on campus or from the alumni network that works in the field you wish to enter following graduation. Professors and alumni are generally very happy to assist you and they can provide crucial knowledge, guidance, encouragement, resources, and opportunities that will greatly progress your career.

Name: Dillon Clancy

Class Year: 2020

Title: AmeriCorps Men’s Health Care Coordinator

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail? 

AmeriCorps Men’s Health Care Coordinator at 112 Southampton Street Shelter Clinic. I directly work with patients to coordinate equitable access to the highest quality of health care, benefits, and community resources.

 

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decided it was a good fit for you?

During my senior year, I knew that I wanted to pursue a future in the health professions. I decided to sign up for the Health Care Career Trek that was hosted by the Center for Career Development. One of the places we visited was Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program (BHCHP). During this visit, I was able to connect with a Holy Cross graduate, who was in one of my Health Studies classes as a senior when I was a freshman. She served an AmeriCorps year at BHCHP and now works there full time. She gave me the advice to apply to the AmeriCorps program at BHCHP, and here I am!

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?  

On campus, I served as both an Orientation Leader and Student Coordinator for Fall Gateways Orientation, I worked as Writing Consultant in the Writer’s Workshop, I sang as a Bass in Fools on the Hill, I played on the Men’s Club Volleyball Team, was a Co-Leader for Spring Break Immersion Programs, and a retreat leader with the Chaplin’s Office for the Communitas Virtual Retreat. Yes, I did like to keep busy 🙂

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?  

In coming to Holy Cross, I was extremely passionate about pursuing a Health Studies major through the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies. Throughout the courses I took at Holy Cross (S/O to my advisor, Prof. Masvawure, and the many other wonderful professors I had), and the internships I was fortunate enough to have, my passion for health only grew deeper. Along the way, I decided to add on a Neuroscience minor, which perfectly complemented my interests. The “highlight-reel” of classes that I took at Holy Cross include, Mixed-Methods Health Research, Drug Use: Brain and Behavior, Writing about Data and Policy, Critical Issues in Global Health, and Health Care Management Academic Internship Program. In combining my major and minor, I grew particularly interested in the intersection between mental health, substance use disorder, and health care delivery, which led me to BHCHP.

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

The two most important skills that I use in my service as an AmeriCorps Member with BHCHP are communication and persistence. As for communication, both my written and verbal communication skills were sharpened at Holy Cross through the classes I took and the extracurriculars I was involved in. It is so important that I effectively communicate information to the patients that I serve, and to all the other care teams that are providing care to patients. As for persistence, this position is HARD. It is difficult to “sum up” my job in one sentence because there is so much that my job may entail – there is no “typical day.” The patients that I work with are experiencing homelessness for a whole range of reasons, but overarchingly due to the incredible number of systems that are built to disadvantage them. It is my job to navigate through these systems with them, which requires a lot of persistence and grit.

 

6. What advice do you have for students today?

Be thankful and take advantage of the opportunities given to you at Holy Cross.  Holy Cross can be an easy place to get caught up in the mix of everything, and quickly grow overwhelmed. It always helped me to take a step back to reflect on the good that I had, rather than the bad that constantly stressed me out. If that is academics – great! If that is extracurriculars – awesome! If that is hanging out with friends – cool! Find the thing that makes goosebumps fills your arms, and, as St. Ignatius once said, SET THE WORLD ON FIRE.