30
November
2015
|
16:16 PM
America/Chicago

Meet a Gator: UHD Student to Apply to Physician Assistant School

nina-iscandriNina Iscandri knew early in life she loved helping people, so in 2007 she decided to pursue teaching.

However, after working as a Patient Care Associate at Memorial Hermann Prevention and Recovery Center for five years, Iscandri wanted a degree that would allow her to stay true to her interest and beliefs - she ultimately realized psychology fits the bill.

"I have a passion for taking care of people, and working in a real-life medical setting solidified my desire and interest in healthcare," said Iscandri.

After completing her core classes at Lone Star College-Cyfair, Iscandri chose to transfer to UHD.

Iscandri, 44, changed her major from teaching to pursue a Bachelor's of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in psychology - a degree program at UHD that provides students with a flexible degree specifically aligned to their career goals.

At UHD, students can apply up to 90 hours of course work from other institutions toward a BSIS degree.

She particularly selected UHD because of the convenient location and faculty - who she deems flexible when working with students who have children and full-time jobs. She also compliments the small class size environment.

"Because the class sizes are small, I am able to interact one-on-one with faculty - I absolutely love the intimate setting," said Iscandri. "I also love the professors, they're understanding and helpful - especially the women professors who are very encouraging and relatable in terms of being a working mom.

Iscandri is confident that her educational experience at UHD will help her fulfill her career plans. "I'm able to apply things I'm learning here to my work setting," said Iscandri. "Especially the communication classes - we learn how to work with people and communicate effectively."

Iscandri graduates fall 2015 and anticipates applying to a physician assistant graduate program.

When ask what would she say to perspective students, Iscandri said, "UHD is a great college, and I'm an advocate for pursuing a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. It's extremely versatile - you can use it to pursue a variety of career goals."