First person

Mark Ostow

View full image

Sara Utzschneider

Seattle, Washington
Master of Science in Nursing

What is your field?

I was in school to be an adult- and women’s-health nurse practitioner.

What led you to this profession?

I had a longstanding interest and passion in women’s health, and as a nurse practitioner, I can do direct care, I can do research, I can teach. It’s really an amazing profession. And nurse practitioners have a particular role in this country in helping underserved populations, which is what I’m interested in doing.

What kind of research would you like to do?

I have a particular interest in healthcare for transgender patients, in HPV, cervical cancer, risk reduction, HIV. 

Why not just be a clinician?

For some of the populations I’m interested in, there isn’t a lot of research. I think that it’s important to be a clinician, but to also advance knowledge so that we can provide better care for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender patients.

What’s on your mortarboard?

It’s a golden speculum. I spray-painted it.