Alumni Update: Where are they now?
Name: Mira Trufasiu
Degree(s) Received: BS and MSG in Gerontology
Year of Graduation: 2003 & 2004
Job title: Project Manager
Company: Partners in Care Foundation
Location (city and state): San Fernando, CA
Please briefly describe your position and your company:
Partners in Care (Partners) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to serve as a catalyst for shaping a new vision of health care by partnering with organizations, families and community leaders in the work of changing healthcare systems, changing communities and changing lives. Partners works to develop more effective and efficient approaches to improve quality of life for diverse individuals and communities, targeting the most at-risk. I am the Project Manager of the Medication Management Improvement System, an intervention designed to enable community agencies to address medication management amongst frail elders living in the community.
Fall 2008 I will be begin the PharmD program at the USC School of Pharmacy.
Why did you choose to study gerontology at the USC Davis School?
As an undergraduate at USC I was originally a biology major, but at the end of my freshman year I became interested in gerontology. I always had a love of science but I wanted something a little more than the typical pre-med classes I was being exposed to. Gerontology caught my interest because I was able to visualize a way I could apply the science knowledge I was acquiring to real life. I knew that regardless of where I would end up with my career I wanted to pursue a way of using my science background to help the geriatric population.
How did you learn about your current position? Was it through an internship, a previous job, or a connection through USC?
As a graduate student I began working at Partners to complete my internship hours. At the time I began to be interested in a career in pharmacy and the medication management project seemed like a natural fit. As I prepare now to begin pharmacy school in the fall I am grateful for having work experience in the field I am pursuing. My experience has reaffirmed for me the fact that I look forward to being a pharmacist and working with the geriatric population in some capacity.
Please briefly describe how the USC Davis School’s curriculum helped prepare you for your current position.
Gerontology, in general, is a very multidisciplinary field. The curriculum at the Davis School exposed me to the different facets of gerontology and how it impacts a variety of fields ranging from policy, to research, to social services and especially to health care. After I graduated and began working I was able to draw from the assorted knowledge I gained. I was surprised to learn how often various disciplines affect each other when under the umbrella of gerontology. To make a change in health care services requires research and changes in services, behavior and policy which were all aspects that I was exposed to in the Davis School curriculum.
What advice would you offer to a prospective student interested in studying gerontology at USC?
Gerontology is a great field to be a part especially during this time when the aging population is growing at such a rapid pace. It’s exciting to be a part of a movement that emphasizes the need to identify ways to improve the quality of life of older adults. Regardless of what someone’s interests are there is a way to apply gerontology in a variety of career choices.
Return to Where Are They Now?
|
