Growing up in suburban Dallas, Sarina Bhattacharya and her twin sister excelled at competitive gymnastics. “Gymnastics has been going on pretty much my entire life,” Bhattacharya told the Miami Hurricane newspaper in 2021, when she arrived as a first-year University of Miami student in the Foote Fellows Honors Program. Injuries come with the territory of high-level athletics, and Bhattacharya and her sister had their share. But in their case, positive experiences inspired both to pursue health-related fields as adults.
“I really wanted to be the nurse who was there for someone through the whole night, always caring for them,” said Bhattacharya. “With my time as a gymnast, I experienced many injuries and trips to the doctor's office. I quickly realized the direct impact nurses have on patient care and I saw how much one nurse can change someone's experience in the hospital for the better.”
Positive experiences coaching younger gymnasts in her town also led Bhattacharya to discover her affinity for working with children. “It’s what got me passionate about kids,” she said. With graduation in view, she will soon be able to leverage her passion into a pediatric nursing career. “Hospitals aren’t fun at all for kids, but that’s where I really want to impact people on a deeper level,” she told the Hurricane. “Being in the hospital can be a traumatic time, and nurses can help alleviate anxiety and truly help patients.”
Bhattacharya knew about the U because two of her cousins had attended. In addition to Florida’s beaches, she said, “The direct admit nursing program was a great appeal.” Direct admit guarantees first-year students a spot in the school’s nursing major and, if they meet all program requirements, a nursing degree at the end, whereas some institutions won’t grant admission into the nursing major until junior year.
Committed to being a leader in her chosen major, Bhattacharya served three years on the school’s Nursing Student Association Executive Board, from underclass representative sophomore year, to junior class representative and public relations chair junior year, to president of the group in her senior year. At the school’s Spring Awards Ceremony, Bhattacharya’s drive to lead was recognized when she was singled out from among her four-year B.S.N. cohort as the “Excellence in Leadership” award winner.
“I think the biggest thing I will take away from nursing school here is learning how to work hard for something you want,” she said. “Nursing school was not easy, and it was hard having long class days and tests piling up. But I made some amazing friends, and we did it together!”
Now, with her twin sister pursuing speech pathology back home, Bhattacharya is excited to make her own move back to Texas. After graduation, she will begin a nurse residency for pediatrics at Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston. And, as she prepares to spring into her next stage of life as a newly minted health provider, Bhattacharya is confident her four years of education here at the U have prepared her to be both a strong performer and teammate, a winning combination nurtured by her years as a gymnast as well. “The highlight has been the friends I made both in and outside of nursing school,” said Bhattacharya. “It was a privilege to attend college at the University of Miami, and it has set me up for success after graduation.”
