Justin, pictured fourth from the left, participated in the GCH 465 Case Competition. His team won first place for their presentation “REVIVE - GMU and NVCC.”
Meet Justin Palpallatoc, Nursing Student
Justin Palpallatoc graduated in the spring of 2020, and is pursuing his career in nursing.
What do you want to do after graduation?
After graduation, I plan to attend an accelerated nursing program to pursue my dreams of becoming a nurse. Nothing compares to the feeling of helping people, and I want a career that is challenging, interesting, and makes an impact on others. I love interacting with other people and making a personal connection—and I believe that nursing is the perfect job that fits my personal criteria.
How did Mason help prepare you for your next steps?
The two years I spent at Mason helped me be both open minded and a more well-rounded individual. The diversity of students definitely contributed to my overall personal growth. In addition, being active in a student organizations enabled me to make life-long friends while broadening my career network.
How did the case competition help prepare you for your next steps?
As a student who currently works at a hospital, the case competition provided me with a whole new perspective outside of the healthcare setting. I interact with many patients who suffer from addiction varying from alcohol to prescription drugs, with the most common cases involving opioids. Conducting research for the case competition gave me a higher understanding of patients with addictions. I now understand more of their background and empathize with this crisis that effects so many in our country.
What did you learn during the process of preparing for the competition and what advice do you have for future GCH 465 students?
I learned that team chemistry is extremely important when it comes to extensive group projects. Having an organized plan, as well as clear communication is crucial for the case competition. Maintaining a productive team culture with common values and goals throughout the entire project was a big part of my group’s success. In addition, keeping consistent meetings and deadlines not only built a professional report, but it created a positive working environment where everyone was comfortable.
What else do you want to share with prospective GCH students?
Keep an open mind and explore your options in the global and community health department. I started in community health and ended up going down the nursing route instead. Finally, utilize all the resources around you. All of the professors I had were wonderful and willing to help in any way they could, so don’t be afraid to reach out to them!