BHS Grads Come Home

Brian McNeill and Fernando Solis are healthcare professionals who were, in a sense, coming home to talk about their careers to students in Lisa Vlicky and Nicole Sweeney’s Health Science and Careers class.  Brian and Fernando, who are good friends, graduated in 2013 from Brewster High School. Fernando is a Doctor of Physical Therapy in Peekskill at Iron Health, and Brian is a Registered Nurse in the ICU at UHS Wilson Hospital in Binghamton as well as the head strength and conditioning coach and Varsity football assistant coach at Union-Endicott High School.

When they were in high school there was no class called Health Science and Careers

“I didn't get any exposure to the field when I was in high school. My introduction to health care came from my own experience,” said Solis.

“I wanted to get into the health field because of athletics,” said McNeill.

The former BHS grads visited two sections of the class and answered questions from students that ranged from general to specific: What’s it like to work with a patient over a period of time? Is student debt an issue when you go to graduate school? What’s your work-life balance?

How important are soft skills–being able to talk to people, interacting with patients.

They were honest and open with students and gave valuable advice about the ups and downs of working in an intense environment like the ICU and over time with physical therapy patients.

“I think it's so meaningful for these Brewster grads to speak to our students, because they come from exactly the same place. It’s sometimes difficult to see yourself in a profession when you are in high school,” said Sweeney.

“I hope the students were able to gain insight into what it may look like to get into the health field. It’s important to know that there will be obstacles and that not every outcome will be linear- some things may take some time or may need to be approached differently. The person you will become is forged through the process...never give up!” said Solis.

“I hope students see that the path isn’t always a straight line. There are curves, bumps, and hard left and right turns. If you truly want to be in the health field and become a great clinician, then hard times and failure come with it. Just roll with the punches and get stronger from experience,” said McNeill.