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Meet Lexi and Claire. Charlottesville (Lexi) and Arlington, VA (Claire) natives. A former Starbucks barista and board game enthusiast with a degree in medical anthropology who worked in a pediatrics office before starting the CNL program (Claire). An EMT who loves traveling, especially to Mexico and the Caribbean, where most of her family is from (Lexi). Granddaughter of a nurse who hopes one day to become a pediatric oncology nurse (Claire). Dog-mom to Aussie "Enzo," her pride and joy, who also loves walking, planning trips, or reading on her Kindle (Lexi). 

Both are in year two of the Clinical Nurse Leader master's program, a fast-track to nursing program for people with at least a bachelor's degree in another field, and recently completed 56 community health clinical hours (alongside five other CNL peers) through a education abroad experience in Roatan, Honduras, under the guidance of assistant professor Katy Hall and clinicians at Clinical Esperanza, a community health clinic with which the School has had a longstanding relationship.

PATH TO NURSING

(Lexi) "I was born and raised in Charlottesville, my dad is a UVA alumnus who's a dentist in Colorado, and my mom is here in Virginia with me. Both are my rock and helped me get to where I am today. I came into nursing because I knew I wanted to make a difference in healthcare and in nursing leadership.

"Emergency medicine has been my bread and butter . . . I've been a part of the UVA Health emergency department team for the last 2 1/2 years as an EMT-B. I love the flow of the department! I always want to be moving, and absolutely love my team and love that I can always learn something new every day, and that I get to work with physicians and many others as a TEAM. #EDFam!"

(Claire) "Going into college, I knew I wanted to end up in healthcare, I just wasn't sure in what capacity. I entered as a biology major ... and found myself wanting to learn more about the body as a whole and how it interacted with illness, society, and culture. This realization led me to the medical anthropology major, a degree that broadened my perspective ... and helped me see that healthcare is not only about treating disease but also about understanding people, their stories, and the contexts in which they live.

"After graduation, I realized I wanted to be part of a profession that viewed a person as a whole, rather than focusing simply on their illness, that emphasized the importance of face-to-face connection and creating relationships. In one of my anthropology classes I had befriended a woman at the nursing school ... talking to her, she said, 'Claire, have you considered going into nursing?' To that point, nursing hadn't even been on my radar but I quickly realized that it was a path where science and compassion meet to make a tangible difference in people’s lives. From that moment on, I knew that I wanted to be a nurse."

WHY THEY CHOSE TO TRAVEL TO HONDURAS

(Claire) "In high school, I studied Spanish, and did a month abroad in South America, but this is my first experience since then with Spanish. I'd traveled extensively before this trip, studying abroad in South Africa during college, and it was the most impactful thing I've ever done."

(Lexi) "As soon as I heard people start to describe Clinica Esperanza, what it was like, and the work that they do, I felt like it was an opportunity I needed to take and experience. I have always wanted to travel to another country to practice nursing or medical care and am finally doing it. Thank you, UVA!"

WHAT HONDURAS WAS LIKE

(Claire) "One difference between Honduras and the U.S. is their medication ... between the glass vials we have to snap open and the physical meds being ordered, I've noticed a big difference in how medications are used here. Nurses staff the pharmacy in the clinic and there is a lot of autonomy around making sure the correct medication is being administered in the correct way. It really has made me recall what I learned in pharmacology and forced me to practice my medication education!

"What's also struck me is how personable and connected the healthcare clinic is with their community. In triage, the nurse seems to know almost everyone who comes through the door. Out in the community, members are excited to tell their stories and get to know one another. Never once have I felt disconnected from those I'm helping treat — even when there's a language barrier between us. There is a sense of gratitude that binds everyone together, which makes it such a great and unique experience."

UVA SCHOOL OF NURSING IN A WORD?

(Lexi) "EMPOWERING. The School has given me the ability to enhance my skills and grow my knowledge for nursing. I've had an advantage working with brilliant nurses over the last two years [in UVA Health's ED] and the School is giving me what I need to be just like them. I'm forever grateful for the opportunities to expand my learning and knowledge through the CNL program."

(Claire) "UPLIFTING. Throughout my last year, I never felt like I wasn't good enough. The faculty and clinical instructors power me every day to be my best self. When I struggle with a concept in class or a skill at clinical, they take the time to talk through my challenges and ensure I build the needed foundation to succeed. Everyone here wants the best for everyone, and the environment really reflects that.

"It extends to my classmates, too. They are my biggest supports and biggest inspirations. Together, we celebrate successes, learn from obstacles, and grow into future nurses who will lead with compassion, resilience, and empathy.

"Deciding to go back to nursing school was an easy decision ... everyone I interacted with during the application cycle was attentive, kind, passionate, and dedicated to their job, something that solidified my decision to come. Now a year into my program, I can confidently say I am exactly where I am supposed to be. The School is teaching me how to be a compassionate, skilled, and resilient nurse who not only provides excellent clinical care but also advocates for patients and meets them where they are. I have built relationships with my peers, teachers, and professors that inspire me every day to be the best student I can be, and I know these connections and relationships will continue to shape who I am as a nurse long after graduation.

"To put it simply, deciding to come back to UVA for nursing has been the best decision I have ever made. WAHOOWA!"