When Thomas Genzale, Jr. ‘25 witnessed his grandfather receiving treatment for a heart attack in the winter of 2019, he was able to see first-hand how effectively the interdisciplinary team worked together at the hospital and the important role that nurses played in the prognosis.
It was because of this experience that Genzale, an honors nursing major and laboratory operations management (LOM) minor from Danvers, Mass., realized that he wanted to become a nurse.
“Each and every provider my grandfather had caring for him motivated me to want to be there for someone else. I have a passion for science and the human body, especially in terms of treating disease. Nursing seemed like a natural fit for me,” said Genzale.
Genzale chose to attend Regis because of the university’s close-knit community, its identity as a Catholic institution, and the prestigious reputation of The Richard and Sheila Young School of Nursing. He also had a personal connection to the university, as his grandmother and her siblings were born at Lawrence Memorial Hospital (LMH), an affiliate of the Young School of Nursing.
Last semester, Genzale interned at MassGeneral Hospital’s Center for Engineering in Medicine and Surgery (CEMS) at Shriners Hospital, working as Intern Laboratory Operations Manager. In this role, Genzale ensured the lab's safety by doing system function tests, assessing equipment integrity, and ensuring adequate materials were present for research purposes.
Genzale also shadowed research technicians allowing him to obtain hands-on experience assisting with duties such as conducting liver perfusions, collecting and recording data, and guaranteeing that the proper safety protocols and correct methods were followed throughout the duration of the experiment.
“This opportunity has helped me grow and gain such a head start in my career by exposing me to the research setting at Shriners and being able to get the patient experience via my clinical. Through the internship, I have decided that I wish to pursue a career in nursing research,” said Genzale.
The internship was made possible through a partnership between Regis and CEMS for students in the laboratory operations management (LOM) program, a unique interdisciplinary minor that provides a comprehensive background in laboratory operations management (LOM), global business management (GBM) and requires students to participate in a one-semester, hands-on internal independent study and a one-semester external internship. Part of the Flatley Scholars Program, which is designed to promote career development for undergraduate students by providing stipends to students who have secured unpaid, off-campus internships, Genzale's internship was funded by The Flatley Foundation.
“Internships at the CEMS allow students to engage in interdisciplinary learning, exposes them to novel technologies and research, networking opportunities, honing their laboratory skills, career development, and the chance to contribute to improving patient recovery from various medical procedures,” said Shannon Hogan, PhD, assistant professor in the STEM department and lead professor for the LOM program.
“Regis has helped me discover who I am, who I want to be, and what I want to do in the future. Through all these amazing opportunities I have been so blessed to receive, I have been able to connect with so many peers and mentors that will help me grow into the health care professional I want to become,” said Genzale.
