Susan FLAVIN
THE RESEARCHER
[ PhD ’15 ]
Susan K. Flavin, PhD, RN Director, Immunology Clinical Research Janssen Research & Development | Spring House, PA After receiving her initial nursing education at a hospital-based diploma program in suburban Philadelphia, she held positions in cardiothoracic intensive care units, the emergency department and as a flight nurse. In 1997, Dr. Flavin entered the pharma industry in research and development and has been with Johnson and Johnson for the past 14 years focusing first on pulmonary drug development before moving to dermatology last year.
Fun Fact
Q+A
I’ve completed 5ks, a 10k, and two half-marathons, and I'm training for my second triathalon in June. I run three to four days a week, and cycle and swim the other days. I’m considering competing in a full marathon in the fall and a half-Ironman in 2017.
WHAT ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF YOUR NURSING CAREER TO DATE? I was a new nurse in the cardiothoracic ICU when the chief of that unit said to me one day, “The most important thing you’ll ever learn I’m telling you now: Never forget that your patient is someone’s parent, spouse, sibling.” That had a major impact on how I cared for patients. One day, in my current role, I was bemoaning the fact that I was tired of pushing paper and missed patient care. My manager said to me, “Never underestimate what we do here. You might see 30 people in the ED on a shift, but what you do today has the potential to impact thousands of lives if we are successful in bringing an innovative drug to patients in need.” It was an instant attitude adjustment! WHAT IMPORTANT CAREER LESSON DID YOU LEARN AT MUSC? Take advantage of the opportunity to attend conferences. Think of every paper as a potential abstract for presentation. No one’s work – even a student’s – is ever too insignificant to be disseminated. ANY ADVICE FOR A MUSC COLLEGE OF NURSING STUDENT? For me, it was all about the journey. Enjoy the journey. I was a full-time working mother of three children under the ages of 14, and I was having a ball. I loved learning. It was my thing. This is a charmed time in your life, when you have access to world-class faculty, a stellar library, and people that want you to succeed. Enjoy the ride – because it’s over (at least for me) way too soon. There is a Nelson Mandela quote I shared with my incredible advisor and dissertation chair, Dr. Susan Newman, that was sage advice, “It always seems impossible until it’s done." Never give up and never give in. 14
LIFELINES
Spring | Summer 2016
Photo by Elliot S. Barnathan