d e t p i r c Uns spring 2021 | waynesburg.edu
Who will I become? MICAH KURKA, JUNIOR NURSING MAJOR
NURSING MAJOR’S PRIORITY EXTERNSHIP With high praise for Waynesburg University’s Nursing Program, Micah Kurka benefited from his experience in the program by earning an exclusive summer externship last year that took him inside one of Pittsburgh’s top hospitals. For a period of 10 weeks, Kurka, currently a junior nursing major, gained hands-on experience as he shadowed a nurse in the level-one trauma center at Allegheny General Hospital.
perform and with the knowledge I needed to be competent,” said Kurka. Waynesburg’s Department of Nursing holds its students to high academic standards and gives them the experience they need to succeed in the real world. The department starts clinical practice as early as sophomore year, in addition to practice in a hightech, state-of-the-art simulation lab.
It was an amazing experience through which Kurka was able to see his classroom experiences come to life in a clinical setting.
“I’ve always said there’s only so much you can learn from inside of a book. The real knowledge and learning you receive is from experience, and this is what makes Waynesburg so different,” Kurka said.
Usually, the externship is given to rising seniors; however, Kurka was awarded the externship as a sophomore – another credit to the education he is receiving at Waynesburg.
After graduation, Kurka hopes to work in an intensive care unit, but he is keeping his options open for the many other opportunities that may come his way.
Despite his age, Kurka wasn’t worried about working alongside a level-one trauma nurse in a face-paced work environment.
“No matter what you want to pursue, the professors and staff [at Waynesburg] will prepare you for the real world, help you get that experience and set you up for success,” Kurka said.
“I felt that Waynesburg really prepared me for this with the skills I needed to
Waynesburg’s BSN Program is regularly recognized for value and academic excellence. Most recently, the program was named a top-five program in the state of Pennsylvania by RegisteredNursing.org for its student outcomes.
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Hear directly from parents about their child’s Waynesburg experience pg. 7