Chicago City Wire

Completing a year of clinical rotations is crucial for undergraduates in Rush's Imaging Sciences and Vascular Ultrasound programs. This experience provides real-world exposure and often leads to job offers. Students in the Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences program at Rush benefit from a semester of rotations with various practitioners throughout Chicago, aiding them in finding their career paths and building networks.

"Our undergraduate programs stand out because of our commitment to providing high-quality clinical experiences," says Mary Jo Guglielmo, MPH, assistant dean and director of undergraduate studies, College of Health Sciences.

"The experience gave me the kind of independence that I was craving." – Martyna Cudzich, BS, RVT, 2024 vascular ultrasound grad

Jada Thorne, a second-year imaging sciences student from the southern suburbs of Chicago, has found her calling through these clinicals. Previously a medical assistant and insurance agent before enrolling at Rush, she appreciates training under senior MRI technologists like Sufiyan Patel at Rush South Loop. "In addition to learning how to do routine and special exams, I am also seeing behind the scenes when Sufiyan needs to adjust a protocol," Thorne says.

Marcos Montes, BSHS, an academic and career development coach with the College of Health Sciences at Rush supports undergraduates by helping them develop necessary skills. Exploring different roles during his practicum rotations led him to pivot from applying to PA school after earning his bachelor's in health sciences from Rush. "I realized that this was my calling," says Montes about his interest in psychology sparked during one rotation where he shadowed a nurse practitioner supporting mental health needs on Chicago’s West Side.

Martyna Cudzich believes having a bachelor’s degree in vascular ultrasound from Rush gives her an edge over others with associate degrees. "It gives me an advantage when it comes to progressing in my career," she states. Having completed extensive clinicals scanning patients for 40 hours weekly enriched her experience significantly. She now works at Rush performing various vascular ultrasounds while mastering transcranial Dopplers.