As we welcome our incoming class to the new academic year, it is once again a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the tremendous impact our proud University is having on the health and wellbeing of people worldwide. As our enrolled students advance through their academic journeys, they are also inspired by the many incredible paths that our graduates have taken.
MCPHS has been educating its students for over 200 years, and our skilled and dedicated alumni are front and center, advancing our Purpose of “Leading with vision, Educating with passion, and Serving with Care.”
Those 45,000 alumni from over 90 countries around the world are our ambassadors, advisers, mentors, and guiding lights.
They give back in so many ways to our Community—from providing internships, shadowing, real-world opportunities, job placements, fellowships, and residencies to precepting, volunteering, and engaging in countless ways. Most importantly, they share their knowledge and professional passions that enhance the richness of our students’ academic experience.
The global footprint that our alumni have cemented in laying our foundation as a leader in health and life science practice and education is both profound and indisputable. They have championed advances in public health, biotech, drug discovery, digital health, personalized medicine, and so much more. They have played active and innovative roles in launching the next generation of healthcare solutions, and have been at the forefront of the intersection of healthcare and technology as it continues to evolve.
The following is but a brief glimpse of a few of the amazing stories that our alumni were kind enough to share. They reflect the unwavering commitment that these individuals have toward their professions and provide a roadmap for the limitless opportunities that lie ahead for our graduates. I hope that you enjoy them.
Thank you, as always, for taking the time to read this latest issue of “Our Story” while celebrating the many achievements of our incredible alumni. As we enter our third century, this is clearly a historical period for our University— one that presents a wealth of opportunities, while also being a time when we have never been better positioned to embrace them. We should all be very proud. M
President Richard J. Lessard
Symin Charpentier
BOSTON, MA
BOSTON MEDICAL CENTER HEALTH SYSTEM
Ambulatory Clinical Pharmacy Manager
PHARMD ’13
Symin Charpentier has curated a career that blends science, service, and advocacy. And it all began by joining the Navy after graduating from MCPHS.
While stationed at what is now Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune, Charpentier applied his pharmacy training across a variety of clinical settings, gaining hands-on experience in outpatient, inpatient, and clinical roles.
“The military taught me a lot of soft skills about being a leader,” he said. “It was a great complement to the education I had at MCPHS.”
Those leadership skills, combined with a passion for lifelong learning, guided him into the next phase of his professional journey. After earning his law degree, Charpentier joined Boston Medical Center and is in the process of launching his own legal practice focused on veterans’ law.
But through it all, Charpentier’s education in pharmacy remains foundational to his career.
“The ability to articulate the value proposition of pharmacies and pharmacists to senior executives is something that I started to learn at MCPHS, and I continue to use every day.”
Erika Bolduc El Madi
BOSTON, MA
During her nine years at MCPHS, Erika Bolduc El Madi immersed herself in campus life, serving as an Orientation Team Leader and actively participating in Student Government and PASS. Still inspired by a transformative high school service trip to Nicaragua, she was eager to find new ways to give back abroad.
“When I got to MCPHS, I really sought out opportunities for volunteering, which is how I got connected to Volunteer Morocco,” Bolduc El Madi said.
That one trip ignited her passion for global health and broadened her understanding of international healthcare systems. It also led her to meet her future husband. Since then, she’s returned to Morocco several times to mentor MCPHS students—all while advancing her clinical career back in
Boston. In both roles, Bolduc El Madi finds herself helping students who are now walking similar paths to the one she once did.
“I really enjoy teaching,” Bolduc El Madi said. “This feels like a way to connect with MCPHS students and give back to something I greatly needed when I was in their shoes.”
Her journey is a testament to how one trip can spark a lifelong commitment to service, cross-cultural connection, and personal growth.
HARVARD VANGUARD MEDICAL ASSOCIATES | Internal Medicine Advanced Practice Clinician
VOLUNTEER MOROCCO | Global Health Officer
MASTER OF PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT STUDIES ’23
MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH ’21
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN PREMEDICAL HEALTH STUDIES ’19
“[It] feels like a way to connect with MCPHS students and give back to something I greatly needed when I was in their shoes.”
Duncan Daviau
BOSTON,
MA
MERCY MEDICAL CENTER | Physician Assistant
MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION OF PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS | President-Elect
MASTER OF PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT STUDIES ’17
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN PREMEDICAL HEALTH STUDIES ’15
Duncan Daviau’s career as a physician assistant balances between the practice of and advocacy for the profession.
“I was always interested in health policy because there’s so much more you can do from the policy perspective rather than just seeing one patient at a time, clinic after clinic,” Daviau said.
Daviau pursued both passions through the 3+3 Physician Assistant Pathway program at MCPHS. Since graduating, he has built a solid foundation and credits connections with faculty for a formative experience that helped him understand the vital link between policy and healthcare.
“It’s amazing how you see some of these things come full circle as you start off as a student and then, you become this professional in this organization,” Daviau said. “MCPHS allows you to do that, and then you’re really being able to advance healthcare for the better.”
In his work, Daviau is a recognized leader and advocate for PAs in Massachusetts. He strives to merge his clinical and policy experiences to improve patient care and contribute to a healthier society—a goal that closely aligns with MCPHS’s mission.
“Working in the emergency department, I can see how our healthcare system is not working for patients...That motivates me to promote change.”
M READ MORE ABOUT DUNCAN’S STORY HERE
Mayasim Hassan
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA
“I’m grateful for the mindset that was shaped by my time here...It gave me confidence to take big steps and the humility to keep learning along the way.”
PURE CONSULTING
Senior Consultant
MBA IN HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT ’24
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN RADIATION THERAPY ’20
Mayasim Hassan is no stranger to braving new places.
After six years at MCPHS, where she earned two degrees, Hassan transitioned from a clinical background in radiation therapy to consulting. This shift brought with it a fresh perspective and mindset; one she began cultivating at MCPHS.
“The values that I carry with me, being a lifelong learner and remaining humble, was the core of how I functioned and how I approached this new transition,” Hassan said. “In consulting, you’re constantly thrown into unfamiliar territory. Your ability to learn quickly, ask the right questions, and stay curious is something I carried with me from day one at MCPHS.”
Moving from a global organization at PwC to a local firm, Pure Consulting, where she currently works, Hassan focuses on building cross-sector experience and adding value to projects across different industries. She believes that stronger institutions lead to better outcomes, whether in healthcare or beyond. She applies the empathy and discipline honed through her clinical experience to her corporate work, bringing a blended perspective to every project, shaped by her journey and led by curiosity.
Throughout her time at MCPHS, Hassan credits supportive professors and mentors, alongside others in the community, for their encouragement and guidance. She believes it was their support that helped her achieve her goals.
“I’m grateful for the mindset that was shaped by my time here,” Hassan said. “It gave me confidence to take big steps and the humility to keep learning along the way.”
Nicole “Nicki” King
WOONSOCKET, RI
BOSTON MEDFLIGHT
Critical Care Transport Nurse
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN NURSING ’13
Nicki King always knew she wanted to work in medicine. But it wasn’t until a conversation with her mom during her sophomore year at Purdue University that everything clicked.
“She asked, ‘Have you ever thought about nursing?’” King recalled. “It was like a light bulb went off. I thought, that’s perfect.”
After graduating, King moved to Worcester and began teaching at the New England Center for Children. That’s when she discovered MCPHS.
From there, her career took off—literally.
“During one of my clinicals, I saw one of the companies fly in,” King said. “The list of prerequisites to get into flight were taped on my wall ever since. I just kept checking off the boxes.”
Aviation runs in her family—her grandmother was a flight nurse in World War II. Today, King is a Critical Care Transport Nurse for Boston MedFlight. About half of her calls are by helicopter, flying critically ill patients to hospitals across New England, in addition to ambulance and jet transports.
“I feel incredibly fortunate to get to do the work that I do, have the autonomy that we have, and to treat some of the sickest patients that I’ve ever encountered.”
Kristine Wong
LAKEWOOD,
WA
WESTERN STATE HOSPITAL | Clinical Pharmacist
PHARMD ’18
Since graduating from MCPHS in 2018, Kristine Wong has built a career marked by versatility, purpose, and a commitment to patient-centered care.
Wong was drawn to pharmacy by both the complexity of medications and the opportunity to empower others through education.
“As a first-generation student, English isn’t my parents’ native language,” Wong said. “I found it interesting to be able to explain medications and how they work to them.”
After earning her Board Certification in Pharmacotherapy (BCPS) in 2021, Wong transitioned from working in a 120-bed community hospital to her current role in forensic psychiatry.
This career shift, sparked by a former coworker’s recommendation and a desire for a more structured schedule, opened the door to a population she never expected to serve. “I never thought I would go into psychiatry,” Wong shared, “but the stars aligned.”
Now, Wong finds meaning in treating stigmatized and often disenfranchised patients with serious mental illness. The longer-term nature of forensic psychiatry allows her to witness meaningful patient progress over time—something she finds deeply rewarding.
George Leung has treated professional baseball players, professional classically trained musicians, and world champion figure skaters. His next challenge? Helping to educate other sports medicine healthcare professionals about acupuncture.
“My job is to make your job a lot easier,” Leung says. “There’s no one, ideal way to do things. There are multiple ways to heal. We need to be flexible and think outside the box.”
Leung takes a hands-on, thoughtful approach with his patients, helping them understand the root of their pain while working to reduce inflammation and edema. His varied background in physical therapy and athletic training gives him a unique, wellrounded perspective.
Leung’s journey into acupuncture began in the early 90s, after injuring his back and receiving treatment from a friend’s father, also an alum of the New England School of Acupuncture. Inspired by the
experience and encouraged by his friend, Leung pursued acupuncture, finding it a natural complement to his sports medicine expertise.
It also helped him achieve a lifelong goal.
“I had always wanted to open my own practice,” Leung says. “This was my opportunity to do that, and to integrate sports medicine into acupuncture in a way that’s different from the traditional approach.”
“I had always wanted to open my own practice...this was my opportunity to do that, and to integrate sports medicine into acupuncture in a way that’s different from the traditional approach.”
Sergio Vargas
BELMONT, MA
BELMONT HEALTH DEPARTMENT | Environmental Health Agent
CAMBRIDGE CHILDREN’S DENTISTRY | Dental Hygienist
MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH ’24
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN DENTAL HYGIENE ’21
Thirty years after graduating high school, a moment of serendipity changed Sergio Vargas’ life.
While in Boston for an appointment, Vargas realized he had forgotten his ID in the car. As he walked back, he passed the chemistry labs on Longwood Avenue. A student noticed his curiosity and struck up a conversation.
Vargas told her he had always dreamed of becoming a dentist. She told him about MCPHS and, sensing his enthusiasm, encouraged him to come inside. Together, they walked into the Matricaria Building, where a security guard directed them to the Registrar’s Office.
“I asked, ‘Why are you telling me all this?’” he recalled. “And she said, ‘You look excited, like you want to be here.’”
Ten years and two MCPHS degrees later, Vargas is using his education to teach others about oral health and to help address public health challenges like food insecurity.
That unexpected moment sparked a new beginning—one that allowed Vargas to pursue his dream and give back to his community.
“I didn’t even know who she was, but she gave me that confidence,” he said. “It was just meant to be.”
At first, Maranda Centeno thought she’d pursue a career in business. But after two life-changing experiences, she realized she was meant to be an occupational therapist.
While volunteering at Shands Children’s Hospital, Centeno witnessed the powerful impact occupational therapy had on pediatric patients. Later, a serious accident in college—and her subsequent diagnosis with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)—gave her a personal understanding of how life-altering functional challenges could be.
“This realization made it clear that becoming an OT was not only a professional calling but also a crucial step in my own health journey,” said Centeno.
After pursuing her master’s from MCPHS, Centeno now works in outpatient pediatrics along with being a POTS OT. She finds immense joy working with, and empowering, her patients who have received the same diagnosis as she.
Maranda Centeno
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO OLORADO SPRINGS, CO
RISE ABOVE POTS
Occupational Therapist
ALL ABILITIES PHYSICAL THERAPY AND MORE
Occupational Therapist
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ’ 24
While publishing webinars for clinicians and partnering with local hospitals, Centeno sees a clear connection between her lived experience and her professional work. She credits MCPHS with helping her turn that into purpose.
“I aim to carry forward the mission of MCPHS by addressing systemic barriers to care, championing interdisciplinary collaboration, and helping individuals of all ages access the services they need to thrive.”
