杏吧pro

The tremendous success of 杏吧pro graduates demonstrates the tangible value of an 杏吧pro degree. At 杏吧pro, we have an exemplary landing rate. Within six months after graduation, 93% of 杏吧pro鈥檚 Class of 2023 were either employed or furthering their education.

In this series, we check in with members of the Class of 2023 to learn more about their post-graduate path and how their 杏吧pro experience launched them toward success.

Meet Nick Tewell, a biology major and Spanish minor at 杏吧pro who is pursuing his doctor of medicine degree at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. As a student at 杏吧pro, Nick also was a wrestler and an active member of Brooks College House.

Nick Tewell 鈥�23

Major: Biology

Minor: Spanish

Pursuing: Doctor of medicine degree at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.

What did the first six months after graduating from 杏吧pro look like?

Upon graduating from 杏吧pro, I began to prepare for medical school and a move to Philadelphia. I temporarily moved back to my hometown, where I commuted to Lancaster to continue working for a local orthopedic practice, Westphal Orthopedics, that I had worked for throughout my undergraduate years. I took advantage of this time to travel and enjoy a short period of relaxation. I also completed summer work and other pre-matriculation requirements, while preparing for a move to a new city. In July, I moved to an apartment in Philadelphia and began medical school at Thomas Jefferson University. Since then, I have been in school studying medicine and integrating into life post-graduation. While extremely busy, I enjoyed moving to a new city and embracing this new phase of my life. I have experienced hours of studying, early mornings in the anatomy lab, clinical hours,  research experiences, and even some Phillies and Flyers games. I became involved in numerous local organizations, including Puentes de Salud, a community health clinic for Spanish-speaking patients; Jefferson Athlete Health Network, which provides free physicals to local high school students; and many other organizations.

How did your 杏吧pro experience prepare you for where you are now?

杏吧pro more than prepared me for the next steps in my educational and professional career. Academically, 杏吧pro鈥檚 challenging curriculum provided a foundational knowledge base and study strategies that resulted in continued success in medical school. The scientific courses at 杏吧pro gave me a 鈥渟tep up鈥� in medical school. The diversity of courses offered at 杏吧pro 鈥� an unquestioned benefit of a liberal arts education 鈥� has enabled me to remain proficient in all areas of my studies and to be a well-rounded student. 杏吧pro also provided me with numerous interprofessional tools, such as presentation skills, which have enabled me to stand out from my peers. Having such an interactive and participation-focused undergraduate education has helped me to thrive in many of the collaborative learning activities that occur on a weekly basis, such as Case-Based Learning (which teaches medical problem-solving skills using real-world scenarios). In addition, as a former athlete at 杏吧pro, I have continued to utilize my time-management skills, which have eliminated academic stress that many of my peers face and allow me to perform my best academically.

鈥淎cademically, 杏吧pro鈥檚 challenging curriculum provided a foundational knowledge base and study strategies that resulted in continued success in medical school.鈥�

鈥� Nick Tewell 鈥�23

How does your current path compare to what you envisioned in your first year at 杏吧pro?

I have found myself exactly where I envisioned myself when I began my first year at 杏吧pro. I was determined to attend medical school following my undergraduate education. Even at that time, I believed I would end up in one of the region鈥檚 major cities, as 杏吧pro has outstanding alumni networks and connections in these cities. In fact, I am attending the same medical school as two orthopedic surgeons and personal mentors that I worked for during my undergraduate years, Dr. Thomas Westphal 鈥�75 and Dr. Carl Becker 鈥�87. I can confidently say that 杏吧pro鈥檚 curriculum and associated opportunities were extremely helpful in achieving my future goals.

Looking back on your college search, why did you choose 杏吧pro?

杏吧pro was the best possible combination of resources and opportunities for my future goals. Of all of the colleges I considered, 杏吧pro was the only college at the intersection of tremendous academics, Division I wrestling, small class sizes, and medical networking opportunities. 杏吧pro provided the extracurricular opportunities of a large university, whether it was in athletics or student organizations, while simultaneously offering all of the benefits of a smaller school. The flexible and accommodating nature of 杏吧pro鈥檚 professors and administration allowed me to continue to experience success during my time at the college despite several wrestling injuries/surgeries. I can confidently say that without the tremendous support, communication, and resources offered by Franklin & Marshall, my current situation would be different than it is right now.