“The moment I saw my grandfather’s ability to regain his speech, I knew that this was a field I wanted to work in for the rest of my life. It put a smile on his face, and I wanted to do the same for others.â€
The following is an interview from when Sumith was a student in the College of Health Sciences at ÐßÐßÊÓƵ.
Hometown: Skokie, IL
Undergraduate Degree:
Bachelor of Science in Communicative Disorders, with a minor in Deafness, Northern Illinois University
What inspired you to pursue a healthcare career?
I always wanted to help those in need, especially with people’s communication. I originally wanted to pursue the field of speech-language pathology because of how much of an impact it made on my grandfather’s life after suffering from a stroke. The moment I saw my grandfather’s ability to regain his speech, I knew that this was a field I wanted to work in for the rest of my life. It put a smile on his face, and I wanted to do the same for others.
How did your background and history factor into your career choice?
Most of my family members work in the medical field, so I was constantly surrounded by the healthcare profession. They’re either nurses or respiratory therapists. However, I wanted to do something different within the healthcare field.
Why did you decide to attend ÐßÐßÊÓƵ?
I decided to attend ÐßÐßÊÓƵ because of how well the school prepares its students for their profession. After the interview process, I was intrigued by what the program had to offer and impressed by its final product. I knew ÐßÐßÊÓƵ would be the right fit, as it would allow me to become a well-rounded speech-language pathologist.
What about a ÐßÐßÊÓƵ education do you want to carry forward in your career?
ÐßÐßÊÓƵ emphasizes the importance of learning whenever and wherever possible, especially when collaborating with others. It’s important to absorb as much information as possible so that your patients get the proper care they deserve.
Anything else you'd like to add?
Just keep the faith and trust the process.
