Nate Disser

Graduation year:

2018

Life After Gonzaga:

Following graduation, Nate entered a two-year research program at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, and he is currently in medical school at The University of Texas McGovern Medical School in Houston, TX.

What made the greatest impression on you during your time at Gonzaga?

Looking back, I think the breadth of diverse learning opportunities and community engagement made a lasting impression on me. I was not only able to pursue my academic goals through the HPHY program, but also grew substantially as a person and made lasting friendships through the Kennel Club, Service & Leadership courses, University Ministry, and the GU community as a whole.

What skills or knowledge gained during the program did you find most immediately useful after you graduated?

I think the most useful skill I developed was that I really learned out to think and write scientifically, which allowed me to contribute effectively to my research experiences following graduation. I was able to jump in and lead projects right away because I had already been through the process of seeing an idea through from start to finish and developed the skills to design experiments, interpret data, and communicate findings during my time in the HPHY program. The ability to critically analyze data and make evidence-based decisions is also really important in medicine, so the HPHY program provided a great foundation for me in this area as well.

What skills and abilities do you think future HPHY graduates will need to have to be successful?

With our current knowledge and digital age progressing to the point where basically all information is at our fingertips, I think the important skill is going to become less about what you know and more about how you think. If you can learn how to think critically, be open-minded, and adapt to new information and situations, you really can create your own path and bring value to whichever field you choose. The HPHY curriculum provides a great foundation for this type of skill set, which I think is going to become even more important for future graduates to be successful.