Bilaal Hassan

What captivated me about healthcare isn’t just the nature of the career, but the mechanics that go behind it. I find it fascinating that we know so much yet so little about our own bodies.  My love for healthcare and passion to serve the community has fueled my desire to pursue nursing. The experience I have had volunteering and working as a C.N.A. made me realize how much I enjoyed the patient contact, but I want to do more to help. After spending lots of time in hospitals, I’ve noticed that it’s always the nurses who are around and not the physicians. Nursing seems to be the perfect blend of challenging, fun, and rewarding. I am one of those people who need to have variety in the work place.  Working as an R.N. will give me an opportunity to explore the many vectors of medicine, from pediatrics to geriatrics and everything in between. I do not plan on stopping at the RN level. I hope that after gaining experience and finding a niche in a certain field, that I will be able to pursue a D.N.P. degree.

Nursing also appeals to me for many reasons outside the work field. Although I am still single, I really do look forward to being able to start a family in the future. I want to be active in the life of my wife and kids. I hope to be a father figure that they look up to, not just a symbol or shadow of a role. Nursing can be very flexible in terms of the shift options available. Working 3 to 4 days a week leaves plenty of time for leisurely activities and opportunity to enjoy life. It would also give me modest financial means to be able to support myself and hopefully my future family.

The Robert Wood Johnson Scholarship will remove a lot of the stress that I will encounter in the next 18 months. I can focus more on my degree and home rather than having to lose sleep over financial thoughts. However it’s not just about the money. I understand that being a recipient comes with its responsibilities. Thanks to the mentorship and support that the RWJF offers, I hope to live up those responsibilities and be well prepared for a career in nursing, and hopefully one day go on to support and inspire others.