Health Track Ambassadors
Nicholas Herzog
4th Year | PsyD Program | Health Track
Email | herz3366@pacificu.edu
Undergraduate Institution | University of Colorado Denver
Hometown | Denver, CO
Why I chose Pacific | I chose Pacific University because of its track on training to work within an integrated healthcare team. The School of Graduate Psychology is housed within the College of Healthcare Professionals. This allows for numerous opportunities to work/ practice working on integrated teams. You can take classes taught by professors across the College of Healthcare Professionals to learn career competencies and the importance of working on an integrated team. There are many practicum opportunities to work on integrated primary care or specialty medicine teams. Pacific allows you to explore the role of a health psychologist on the theoretical and practical levels, which I believe is unique to our program.
Favorite thing about the program | My favorite thing about Pacific is the options for practicum training. I have found so much value in exposure to diverse settings and growing my general and specialty clinical skills. These practical experiences are the most beneficial aspect of our education, and there are opportunities in numerous settings and specialties.
Favorite PsyD course | Health Psychology Seminar: This course occurs every summer and fosters a community within the health track. It is taken by each health psychology student across cohorts and allows for mentorship and connection across years of experience. We cover a unique specialty related to health psychology and are provided with different opportunities within the field and specific interventions. This class allows time to practice different interventions, exposes you to topics of specialty medicine, and often has guest speakers working in that area who can provide first-hand experience and education and are always happy to answer questions and facilitate curiosity.
Tips for getting observation hours/exposure to psychology | Joining your home state’s psychological association can help you network and meet psychologists in your community. Student memberships tend to be discounted relatively significantly. I have found this to be a very supportive field; meeting professionals in your community may present different opportunities for exposure to clinical work.
Career goal | Through different practicum experiences, I’m still exploring what will be the best fit for me. I do know that I would like to eventually work in a state where I could become a prescribing psychologist. I have enjoyed working on several teams, from interdisciplinary to mental health specialty teams. I think collaboration and consultation are vital, so I would really like to work in a setting where I am a member of a collaborative team.
Hobbies | I love anything outdoors. I am an avid cyclist and have enjoyed touring Western Oregon on my bike. I love spending time with my wife, cooking, and hiking with our two dogs (Phil & Kona). I am a certified sommelier and love exploring Oregon's beautiful wine country. I enjoy escaping the city in the winter to go skiing or heading to the coast in the summer for a change of pace. The summers are beautiful in Oregon and provide the best climate to tend to our garden. We also love exploring restaurants in our neighborhood.
Stephanie George
4th Year | PsyD Program | Health Track
Email | geor7190@pacificu.edu
Undergraduate Institution | The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Hometown | Chattanooga, TN
Why I chose Pacific | I chose Pacific University because of its emphasis on community, compassion, and discovery. In addition, I’d always wanted to live in the Pacific Northwest!
Favorite PsyD course | Clinical Foundations. I found the Clinical Foundations courses particularly useful as they helped me better understand the process of diagnosing, challenged me to build new skills, and allowed me to build confidence early in my clinical career through a process of collaboration and constructive feedback.
Hobbies | I enjoy hiking, camping, and playing indoor soccer for the Portland Potatoes. I love hanging out with friends, taking weekend adventures to coast, and relaxing at home with a good book. I have a German Shepherd mix named Stella – she’s my sidekick and she’s fall in love with the PNW too!
Sneha Parikh
3rd Year | PsyD Program | Health Track
Email | pari9919@pacificu.edu
Undergraduate Institution | University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
Hometown | Phoenix, AZ
Why I chose Pacific | I chose Pacific University because of its emphasis in both clinical training and research experience. Additionally, I knew the Health track would provide me with the opportunity and experience to work in an integrated care setting. The experiences I have gained from Pacific University’s program, thus far, have been invaluable. I am thankful to have received such support from my mentors, colleagues, and community. Finally, both the campus and the PNW area are absolutely beautiful.
Favorite thing about the program | One of my favorite aspects of the PsyD program at Pacific University is the multitude of training opportunities in both our clinical and research lives. The diversity of opportunities encourages us to thoroughly explore our interests and tailor our education to specific goals. Additionally, the supportive faculty and collaborative atmosphere foster an environment where we learn from each other and grow both personally and professionally.
Favorite PsyD course | I chose Pacific University because of its emphasis in both clinical training and research experience. Additionally, I knew the Health track would provide me with the opportunity and experience to work in an integrated care setting. The experiences I have gained from Pacific University’s program, thus far, have been invaluable. I am thankful to have received such support from my mentors, colleagues, and community. Finally, both the campus and the PNW area are absolutely beautiful.
Tips for getting observation hours/exposure to psychology | When seeking observation hours, it can be helpful to reach out to local clinics, hospitals, or community organizations that align with your interests. Expressing enthusiasm for learning and gaining practical experience can make a significant difference, as many professionals are eager to help students who show genuine interest. Also, networking with professors and fellow students can also lead to valuable connections.
Career goal | My career goals include working with underserved minority populations and advocating for improved access to mental health resources.
Hobbies | I enjoy spending my free time reading and painting. I also love exploring the city, including its adorable coffee shops. I’m excited to keep exploring and discovering its hidden gems.
Haila Rosero
3rd Year | PsyD Program | Health Track
Email | haila.rosero@pacificu.edu
Undergrad | University of La Verne, La Verne, CA
Hometown | Hesperia, CA
Why I chose Pacific | I chose Pacific University for many reasons. The first is the Health Track. I have very strong interests in Geropsychology, end-of-life care, and working in a health care setting. I knew that this track would effectively prepare me for post-grad training and work in these areas. Additionally, the sense of community really drew me to Pacific. The mentoring opportunities, student committees, and interprofessional opportunities within the College of Health Professions stood out to me. I also appreciate the strong relationships Pacific has built with its community.
Favorite thing about the program | My favorite thing about the PsyD program has been its connections with the community. The practicum experiences I’ve have so far have been amazing, thanks to the longstanding relationships the program maintains with the community clinicians. The outreach opportunities within the community have helped me develop my clinical interests and professional network as well.
Favorite PsyD course | Group Interventions: I took this class with Dr. Holly Hetrick who made this class so fun and interesting. She teaches this course in an experiential way, which is something that helps me learn and retain information. It was a valuable experience to learn from my peers and grow alongside them throughout the term.
Tips for getting observation hours/exposure to psychology | I would suggest finding mental health providers in your area that provide different types of services. Shadowing different roles within the mental health field could help clarify your interests and goals for your career. As far as psychology experience, don’t limit yourself to roles that are explicitly psychology or mental health focused. Jobs that work closely with other humans provide valuable learning opportunities that are applicable to the field. For example, I worked as an activities coordinator at an assisted living facility, which isn’t necessarily psychology related but it gave me experience with the population I now want to work with.
Career goal | I plan to become a board certified geropsychologist later in my career. Ideally I would split my time between a medical setting, such as a VA or state hospital, and my own private practice. The private practice would have a focus on consulting with long-term care facilities/nursing homes/assisted living facilities to provide therapy services for their residents and ensure the residents are receiving quality care.
Hobbies | In my free time I enjoy exploring cute local libraries and coffee shops. I also enjoy creative writing, reading, and video games.