Nicole Shaw, from Oakland, CA, is a FACES Oakland alumnus Class of 2009. She earned her Bachelors of Arts degree in Integrative Biology from the University of California, Berkeley in December 2013. After college, she ventured to Rome to study Renaissance art, language and culture. Upon her return to the US in the summer of 2014, she was fueled to continue on her journey to become a physician. The following year, she began to work as a fitness counselor at FLEX Circuit Gym in Oakland, CA, while attending an informal post-baccalaureate program through the Peralta Colleges. Although science courses were not necessarily her strong point, she worked diligently to improve. In May 2018, Nicole will begin medical school at the American University of the Caribbean in St. Martin..
Outside of the realm of academia, she had the wonderful opportunity to shadow the Pediatric Neurosurgery team at Kaiser Oakland under Dr. Dachling Pang. There she observed clinical appointments and surgical procedures. She also had the chance to create presentations on multiple subjects (i.e., hormones) and present them to the team for critique. She grew immensely from this experience and greatly valued the team’s mentorship.
In her future role as a physician, Nicole plans to serve disadvantaged communities. She hopes to promote a holistic approach to patient care and highlight the importance of self-care and healthy choices for overall wellness. She also dreams of implementing a performing/visual arts program for stress and trauma relief.
When Nicole looks back on her time in FACES, she feels so thankful. She is blessed that she had the opportunity to be a part of such an amazing program and receive invaluable support from Dr. Magaña and the entire FACES family. She is extremely grateful for Dr. Magaña’s mentorship and encouragement while on her path to becoming a doctor. She encourages all students that are interested in health to utilize FACES. Nicole believes that FACES is much more than just a program. It is a support system that believes in student and sees their endless potential even when they may not be able to. Thank you FACES for the Future!