Stephanie Tobin

Stephanie Tobin ’19, ’22, ’25 knew she wanted to become a nurse practitioner long before she ever stepped into a college classroom. In middle school, she visited Massachusetts General Hospital, where a friend’s mother was a cardiothoracic nurse practitioner. Witnessing the pace, precision and impact of patient care, Tobin envisioned the future she wanted.

“I remember thinking in that moment, ‘This is exactly what I want to do,’” says Tobin. “After my experiences at UML, I spend every day of my career making the most positive impact I possibly can on the lives of my patients.”

Born and raised in Lowell, Tobin was familiar with the strength of UMass Lowell’s Solomont School of Nursing. What began as a plan to earn her bachelor’s degree evolved into a decade-long academic journey for a Master of Science in Nursing and then a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).

“I found the nursing BS to MS fast track program, and from there, I knew that my path at UML was going to extend well beyond my bachelor’s degree,” says Tobin.

As Tobin progressed through the nurse practitioner master’s program, she was encouraged by faculty to continue onto the DNP program.

“Dr. Patricia MacCulloch became a mentor to me,” Tobin says of the clinical associate professor. “She helped me see leadership potential in myself that I hadn’t fully recognized.”

In the DNP program, Tobin researched how to improve communication in assisted living facilities. Her quality improvement project created a standardized method for sharing patient information among providers and nursing staff, which had a positive impact on the quality of patient care in day-to-day practice.

“The goal was to improve communication and, ultimately, patient outcomes,” she says. “It also helped reduce stress for the care providers who are on call and make important decisions quickly.”

The DNP scholarly project experience shaped how Tobin approaches her work today. She serves as director of quality improvement at First Choice Community Medical Services in North Andover and practices full time as a geriatric primary care nurse practitioner in facilities across Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

“My work in the DNP program changed how I think about my role in patient care,” she says. “I’m still caring for patients, but I’m also helping shape how that care is delivered beyond the individual level.”