Ryan Prendergast

Quinnipiac Physician Assistant Program, Class of 2017

I come to Quinnipiac from Wrentham, a suburb outside of Boston, Massachusetts. I graduated in 2011 from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts with a B.A. in mathematics and concentrations in pre-medicine and biological psychology. While at Holy Cross, I was an active member of the school’s Student Programs for Urban Development, where I organized groups of volunteers to mentor a group of at-risk youth.

After graduating from Holy Cross, I worked as a case manager for a non-profit organization working with adults with developmental disabilities. I advocated for the desires and needs of these adults, and I coordinated the care they received from therapists, group homes, family members, and staff members. As a case manager, I was exposed to the disparities that exist in the lives of individuals with disabilities. After leaving GROW, I worked as a medical assistant in both Orthopedics and Primary Care at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

I was drawn to UST’s mission of providing healthcare equity to patients in underserved populations. I believe that we live in a time when extraordinary care should not be something one merely hopes to receive—it should be commonplace for all patients, regardless of their backgrounds. I wish to work with individuals who hold this same belief, and UST will give me this opportunity. Additionally, I admire the interprofessional education of the UST scholars. As a future physician assistant, I will be working with a myriad of healthcare providers, and I believe it is crucial to learn to collaborate with my future colleagues during my education.