The Alliance in focus: Keyla Deal

Keyla Deal

Sixty-five members of the UNMC High School Alliance are among the students taking classes at UNMC this academic year.

The students come from high schools around Omaha and take college-level classes to prepare for health careers.

Today we meet:

  • Name: Keyla Deal
  • High school: Thomas Jefferson High School in Council Bluffs
  • Year: Senior

How did you learn about the UNMC High School Alliance?

I first heard about the program through a school-related summer program. I got to learn about the different jobs that Nebraska Medicine has to offer, and one of the days I was there, we got to hear from a student who did the UNMC High School Alliance program herself. After getting to be on campus and hearing all that UNMC had to offer, I could not wait to sign up for this program.

What sparked your interest in science?

As a child, I grew up watching my mom work as a certified nursing assistant (CNA). I knew from the start that is what I wanted to do — not being a CNA specifically, but getting to help people and study health science. Now that I am older and have had many chances to look at different careers in health science, I am all the more excited.

What are your career aspirations?

I hope that after high school I can attend the College of Saint Mary’s physician assistant program and become a physician assistant. Maybe one day, I can even work at Nebraska Medicine helping people in any way that I can.

List your three favorite things about the UNMC High School Alliance experience so far:

  • I love that we get to do so much job shadowing because it helps us choose our field of interest or specialty.
  • I also like that there are so many friendly people and how many friends that I have made within the last few weeks.
  • I love the hands-on experience that we get in labs.
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