The center offered peer tutoring and other study resources, including model skeletons, hearts and limbs like the ones she used in her lab classes for Human Anatomy and Physiology, a required course for all first-year health sciences majors.
Ogbarmey-Tetteh, a strong student, wanted guidance on how to study effectively. Soon, she formed a study group with friends. As a junior, she became a tutor in the new
Health Sciences Hub.
“The peer tutors are more knowledgeable and can give you more personal advice on ways you can best study,” she says.
Ogbarmey-Tetteh came to UMass Lowell for its highly regarded nursing program – and the opportunity to earn a Master of Science in Nursing degree through the
bachelor’s-to-master’s program. In high school in Worcester, Massachusetts, she enjoyed science, especially biology, and knew that she wanted to work in health care.
“I knew that I liked working amongst a team,” she says. “I liked caring for people and making sure that people were happy and quality of care was attended to, so I decided nursing was a good fit.”
At UMass Lowell, she also greatly enjoyed her
public health classes. She says they helped her to understand how the health care system works – and where it fails. As a sophomore, Ogbarmey-Tetteh added a minor in public health, which became even more relevant when the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020. She also joined a new club on campus,
Advocates of Health Equity for Minorities (AHEM).
“As nurses, we’re caring for the patients, but we don’t always know enough about their financial and social status and how it might be hindering their care,” she says. “Public health … tries to prevent bias, so it gives you a more well-rounded view of your patients.”
“I wanted a greater representation for my college, especially as a minority,” says Ogbarmey-Tetteh, whose parents immigrated to the U.S. from Ghana. “I want to leave my mark before I head on to further education and the real world.”
As a senior, she took graduate classes that count toward both her undergraduate degree and the
“fast track” master of science in nursing program, to which she has been accepted. After practicing for a few years, she says she will probably pursue a Doctor of Nursing degree in geriatrics, as she enjoys working with elderly people.
“It’s always important to learn more and do more in your field,” she says. “It would give me more autonomy, and I’d be able to have a greater impact on my patients’ lives.”
