Hello, my name is Annie Rufo and I am a freshman in Pitt’s School of Nursing. I am hoping to become either a pediatric nurse or labor and delivery nurse prior to possibly attending PA school. I grew up just twenty minutes south of Boston, Massachusetts which is around a ten hour drive to Pittsburgh. But, the community, academics, and friends at Pitt make the distance worth it. Also, the clinical opportunities at various UPMC locations were too amazing to not take advantage of. I am also a member/sister of the pre health sorority at Pitt, Rho Psi Eta, which cherishes sisterhood, study, and service, to further relationships, connections, and the community.

This summer I will be traveling to Bilbao, Spain for the Plus3 Pitt program. I chose this program as I am very excited to witness other cultures and how their healthcare systems function. As someone who has dreamt of being a international travel nurse, I hope that this experience will help me get a feel of what it would be like to work in a healthcare system outside of the United States. I think this experience will provide me new perspectives and wisdoms allowing me to be a well rounded and understanding RN in the future. I cannot wait for Spain!