Sarah Salem, Current BSN/MSN Candidate
BU Major & Graduation Date:
Psychology & Public Health – May 2022
Current School:
University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing – Accelerated BSN/MSN Program
Preferred Pronouns:
She/her/hers
Hometown:
Bedford, NH
What school are you attending and what you are studying? Why did you choose to apply to this school? What do you think makes your school unique?
I am attending the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing in their Accelerated BSN/MSN program. UPenn has a strong nursing program that I feel will allow me to pursue nursing as a second degree student with great success!
Is there a specialization and/or specific population you are interested in?
I was admitted into the Family Nurse Practitioner track. I chose to pursue family nursing because I believe that educating the family as a unit on preventative medicine will allow us to move forward in addressing the disparities of our healthcare system.
What are one or two of your favorite experiences/activities and why?
Working as a clinical assistant at Boston Children’s Hospital on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). I learned so much about teamwork and truly found my passion for nursing and caring for families.
Working at the Dauten Center for Bipolar Treatment Innovation at Massachusetts General Hospital! I was able to gain insight in treatment and research surrounding bipolar disorder, and found medical research fascinating!
What was your favorite BU course and why?
I absolutely adored Maternal and Child Health with Dr. Dunham. It changed my perspective on modern and family medicine. It was an eye-opening course that allowed me to explore the intricacies of our healthcare system and prepared me to contribute to solutions.
Were you involved in any clubs/groups at BU?
I was in Omega Phi Alpha (BU’s only service sorority) and loved all my experiences! I was able to help the community through service projects. I was also a student health ambassador through Student Health Services for a year! I learned about the BU community from a Public Health standpoint and was trained in educating my peers!
Have you always known you wanted to be a nurse?
I knew I wanted to work in medicine from a young age, but was unsure which path to take. It wasn’t until I got my first job as a Certified Nursing Aide in New Hampshire on a med-surg unit my freshman year that I realized nursing was my passion! Working amongst a strong team of nursing professionals inspired me to pursue a career in caring for families. Once on the unit, I was able to identify the different roles and responsibilities of PAs, NPs, RNs, and MDs which gave me more clarity when pursuing the NP track.
What resources at BU did you find most helpful or want to spotlight that others might not know about?
Using the Pre-Professional Advising Office and pre-health advisors was one of the best things I did before applying. Once I had all of the pieces of my application, I sat down with an advisor and received feedback on my personal statement and essays. It was exactly what I needed to feel more confident going into the application process.
What are your hobbies/What do you like to do for fun outside of the classroom?
I love to garden and play dominoes with family and friends! Last summer I grew a watermelon, and the summer before that, I grew pumpkins!
Are there any tips/advice you would like to share with current pre-health students?
No experience is bad experience! Getting as many experiences under your belt in a variety of fields can help you solidify your passions, but also make you a well-rounded applicant! Working in psych research was not directly related to clinical nursing experience but showed I had broad interests.