October 9, 2013

For junior student Shivani Amin, who is currently studying in the 5-year accelerated Pre-Physician Assistant Program, the Drexel College of Nursing and Health Professions (CNHP) could not have been a better fit. Situated in the fifth largest city in the United States and connected to seemingly boundless opportunities worldwide, Drexel University and the CNHP have helped shape Amin’s career goals early in her education. Faced with the academic rigor of her program and pressure to maintain a competitive GPA in order to matriculate into the Physician Assistant Program, Amin has always placed importance on both schoolwork and clinical experience.

 “I want to pursue a career as a Physician Assistant due to their combination of expertise in medical knowledge and direct patient care. I was interested in Drexel’s PA program because it emphasizes the principals of patient interaction by providing us with numerous volunteer experiences as well as an extensive co-op program,” said Amin. 

At the beginning of the Pre-PA Program, students are encouraged to explore different health-related fields, network, and join the Physician Assistant Club on campus. “For most Pre-PA students, it may be too early to know exactly what specialty you want to go into. However, at CNHP, students are career-minded and faculty drive you to develop specific interests early,” she elaborated.

This led Amin to take advantage of several opportunities facilitated by the CNHP. Because of the College’s close proximity to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, she was able to volunteer in the Emergency Department there. That experience then allowed her to assist in providing care to children at a local pediatrician’s office. Eventually, with the help of Drexel’s Steinbright Career Development Center and CNHP advisors, she was able to land a co-op position at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), where Amin is currently working as a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Virtual Systems Analyst. Her job is to gather and analyze trends in patient diagnoses to find commonalities between patients in order to provide that information to physicians all over the nation.

“I owe a lot of my volunteer and work experiences to CNHP. The College taught me the importance of taking initiative, maintaining composure and being professional,” she ended. Amin hopes to work as a Physician Assistant in the specialty of pediatrics or women’s health.