After moving to the United States from India, Prerana Sharma decided to pursue an education and career in baking, but her plans were altered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Prerana began looking for a career change that would leave her feeling fulfilled while providing opportunities for growth. She decided on nursing, and several scholarships helped her pursue her associate degree in nursing at Malcolm X College.

During her time at Malcolm X, Prerana became a student member of the American Nurses Association and helped patients during her clinical rotations at St. Bernard Hospital, Weiss Hospital, and Near North Health Clinic. While completing her associate degree, she continued to work as an obstetric (OB) scrub technician at Swedish Hospital and a baker.

Prerana recently graduated as Malcolm X College’s valedictorian and was accepted into the University of Illinois Chicago to pursue her bachelor’s degree in nursing thanks to a transfer pathway Malcolm X has with the college. She was also offered a job as a labor and delivery nurse at Swedish Hospital. In the future, Prerana plans to continue her education to become a family nurse practitioner.

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