Throughout her time at Quinnipiac, Umeugo exhibited exceptional dedication to both her education and active involvement in the Bobcat community. Earning a 4.0 GPA during the rigorous 27-month graduate program, she exemplified academic excellence and commitment to pursuing her career as a physician assistant.

Umeugo’s achievements were further highlighted by her recognition as the recipient of the 2024 Medical Writing Award and the Academic Excellence Award.

“Achieving that award was the manifestation of all the hard days, countless hours studying and the time and effort that was put into attaining my goals," said Umeugo. "It was very fulfilling to know that I did not give up on the ambitions I set for myself and was able to reach this point in my academic career. I was able to receive that award not just by my own merit, but through the time, advice, support and care I have received from family, friends, professors, colleagues and classmates during my life." 

From the start of her journey, Umeugo always knew that she had a strong interest in aspiring for a career in healthcare. Originating from a strong family background in medicine, Umeugo was inspired by her siblings, who are all Quinnipiac alumni.

“Words can’t express how grateful I am to each person in my family for what they have done for me to help me achieve my aspirations,” she said. “I have had both my parents and my siblings to go to for advice and encouragement on numerous occasions, and sometimes without saying, they have been attuned to my needs and found ways to support me and give me the strength to pursue my goals in ways I didn’t know I needed.”

Umeugo’s brother, who is a pediatric nurse, was the first to make her aware of the physician’s assistant profession, encouraging her to explore the program at Quinnipiac.

“Quinnipiac has a well-founded and competitive physician assistant program that piqued my interest,” said Umeugo. “The ability to learn more about the profession while obtaining a structured curriculum in both academic, inter-professional and direct patient care was something that I knew would help create a solid foundation for me when entering the physician assistant program."

As a testament to her appreciation of her family for playing a vital role in her career aspirations, Umeugo’s sisters, both in the healthcare field, coated her during her White Coat Certificate Ceremony this past August.

Upon graduating from the program this past May, Umeugo accepted a job in neurosurgery at St. Vincent Medical Center in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Umeugo credits her ability to flourish in this position as she was given the opportunity to assist in multiple neurosurgical cases during her surgery rotation at The Hospital of Central Connecticut. During these experiences, Umeugo was able to assist in pre and post-op care, perform physical exams and aid in smaller procedures such as drain removals.

“I think the rigor of the program has assisted in my ability to be better suited to work in high-stress environments,” she said. “During didactic year, we spent time through each organ system and had modules that emphasized care in neurology and neurosurgery with professionals working in those fields leading lectures. The program emphasized the need to form a solid foundation in the ability to take a proper history and physical exam, which has in turn, helped me to improve my clinical decision-making skills so as to give appropriate care management.”

Furthering her leadership skills, Umeugo served as a student representative for The Connecticut PA Foundation, an organization dedicated to raising funds for students enrolled in physician assistant programs throughout Connecticut. Umeugo had the opportunity to fundraise within the community, raising awareness for the roles and responsibilities of physician assistants in healthcare. In addition, Umeugo held the role of an ACES health literacy coordinator for the Hamden and North Haven communities. Through this involvement, Umeugo works to spread awareness on important topics such as health literacy and reading.

Umeugo was also a member of Pi Alpha Honor Society, the official physician assistant honors society. Umeugo was honored to be inducted during her White Coat Ceremony. The organization is limited to 15% of students who are in their last year of the professional phase of the program.

Providing her words of wisdom, Umeugo encourages current and future physician assistant students to learn what she deems one of the most important lessons — adaptability and grace. 

“To say the least, that’s a lot of change that needs to happen in a short amount of time. So give yourself grace.” said Umeugo. “Each path you take in PA school will inevitably be different from something else you’ve done in your life, let alone while you’re in this program, and that’s okay! You’ll be new to it all and you may not know the answers. But what you can always do is take a moment, recognize the difficulties this new situation presents and find ways to approach and navigate the situation that address the problem and help you to grow.”

As a new graduate, Umeugo looks forward to setting new goals and ambitions for her career as a physician assistant.

“I am looking forward to enhancing and honing in on the skills I was taught during my schooling,” she said. “I hope to one day advance into the education field and help aspiring physician assistant students in their endeavors. Overall, I want to become part of a team of healthcare professionals that have a positive impact on the patients we encounter and make a difference in their lives and of their loved ones.”