In 2019, Erica Situ earned her B.S. in pharmaceutical sciences from Purdue University. Fresh out of undergraduate school, she went on to work as a medical scribe and a home care provider at an outpatient cardiology clinic.
Erica’s passion for preventative health care drew her to the nursing field. Her goal is to help improve health equity through increased health education and access to quality care for underrepresented communities. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that nurses have been one of many medical professionals at the frontline of health care. Now she is one step closer to her dreams of becoming one of them.
After simultaneously gaining experience and saving money, Erica was ready for her next educational chapter. It didn’t take long for her to find just the right program—our Post-Baccalaureate Health Professions Program.
The program allowed Erica to take engaging health care courses, enhance her GPA and learn from top instructors. By fall of 2020, she was accepted to Emory University’s Masters of Nursing Program and even closer to her dream of becoming an RN.
Let's trace Erica's path to this exciting academic admittance!
Why did you choose our Post-Bacc program? What were you looking to achieve?
Without a doubt, this program is known for its academic rigor, education efforts and topicality. There are plenty of opportunities and resources for students coming from all walks of life who are looking to enter the health profession fields. As a Bay Area native, I’m extremely fortunate to have such a reputable program so close to home.
I chose the academic enhancer track, which allowed me to take classes relevant to the health care field and boost my undergraduate GPA. My goal was to raise my undergraduate GPA to be more competitive as a nursing school applicant.
Through the program, I was able to enhance my academic record and show professional schools that I have improved substantially since my previous insufficient grades. The Post-Baccalaureate Health Professions Program provided an opportunity to study under expert instructors and complete a curriculum fit for health professions.
What courses did you take with the program?
I took a total of seven courses:
What was your experience taking Post-Bacc Health classes?
I took classes before and after the COVID-19 restrictions were put into place. The most incredible part about UC Berkeley Extension was how seamless the transition was from in-person learning to virtual learning.
In a time of crisis, faculty and instructors really stepped up to the plate to ensure that we, as students, were not left behind. It goes without saying that the instructors were very caring, my fellow students were incredibly intelligent and the advisers were extremely supportive.
How does taking these courses fit in with your academic goals?
My courses served two major purposes: to fulfill prerequisites for many professional programs and to expand my understanding of subject matter through learning under experts. It was really nice to learn alongside fellow students with similar goals and develop professional and social contacts.
Why should other students be interested in taking our courses?
There are so many reasons why I would recommend anyone to try out courses at UC Berkeley Extension. If you are looking to switch careers and explore a new field, if you are looking to enhance your knowledge for particular subject matters, if you want to network with like-minded students and faculty, if you want to improve your academic standing and become a competitive candidate for schooling or career, then I cannot emphasize enough that this program is ideal for you.
Congratulations on your acceptance into nursing school! What has your experience been thus far?
During the course of the program, I will earn a Master of Nursing in 15 months, which will allow me to license as a Registered Nurse. This is followed by a Master of Science in Nursing that will allow me to license as a Family Nurse Practitioner.
Coming out of the program, I can confidently say that the knowledge I’ve gained from my health professions classes is up to date and applicable to the nursing field. Learning under the instructors at UC Berkeley Extension has given me a solid foundation of knowledge that I will use to deliver quality care to my patients in the future.
