It didn’t take long for Jordan Nus, a biology student at the School of Science, to find her calling in life. With two family members working in healthcare, she knew one day she too would outfit a set of scrubs. But Nus didn’t discover that passion in a traditional way. Instead, she found it within the four white walls of an operating room.
Growing up, Nus’ mother and grandmother worked as operating room nurses, and as an IU School of Medicine admit, she’s next in line to fulfill her family’s lineage of healthcare workers. Though unlike those who came before her, she’s pursuing a career as a physician.
“I became interested in medicine at a pretty young age, and after several years of exposure, I soon found my own passions for medicine,” Nus said. “These passions include, but are not limited to, the workflow and challenge physicians have as both a provider and scientist, and the commitment to a career of lifelong learning and human care.”
Her time as a student at the School of Science has only nurtured her passion for healthcare. With the plethora of opportunities available on and around campus, Nus garnered experience as an undergraduate researcher at both the School of Science and IU School of Medicine, and as a medical scribe, academic tutor and O-Team leader. However, few proved as beneficial as her time with VIDA Health Partnerships, where she’s served as president since 2022.
A student-led volunteer group, VIDA’s mission is to develop student leadership through collaborations focused on international and local health equity, as well as social justice. In doing so, they hope to expand access to quality healthcare and to empower students and volunteers to tackle today’s most pressing global health challenges.
“VIDA’s mission called to me due to the organization’s focus on global health equity and the community of students within this organization,” she said. “Prior to attending IUPUI, I had not heard about or really been educated on a lot of the ethical, socioeconomical and political issues within Indianapolis and abroad. My involvement with VIDA has helped me smooth out my morals and establish new values in myself and others and has also prepared me for a future in medicine.”
Ultimately, the accumulation of such a diverse set of rewarding experiences and opportunities during Nus’ time as an undergraduate at the School of Science has played a major role in readying her for medicine.
The School of Science encouraged me to be more involved on campus through research and club involvement. I am so thankful for the skills I gained and experiences I had, as they have taught me the importance of leadership and innovation.
For those looking to make a breakthrough into medicine, Nus advises the importance of making connections, and the role it played in her successfully getting into the IU School of Medicine.
“My best advice to incoming premedical students is to network throughout the School of Science and other schools across campus,” Nus said. “The more people you know, the larger your social group is and the more support you have. Additionally, the more people you have in your social network, the more people you can ask about how, when and where to apply to medical school.”