Career Advisor Spotlight: Nick Friedman '17
Skidmore Career Advisor, Nick Friedman '17
Skidmore's Career Advisor Network is a Skidmore-exclusive database made up of alumni and parents connected with the
college. These mentors are eager to share their career experiences and advice with
Skidmore students.
Career Counselor Shannon Rodriguez, who manages the clinical and biomedical sciences career community, checked in with Nick Friedman '17 who is currently attending Stanford University School of Medicine.
Nick majored in chemistry during his time at Skidmore.
Shannon: Nick, why have you chosen to serve as a career advisor?
Nick: Our Skidmore experience is defined by the connections that we form within the
Skidmore community. Being a career advisor is a fantastic way to continue forging
those connections while meaningfully contributing to the growth and development of
Skidmore students.
Shannon: Why should Skidmore students interested in medicine and healthcare reach out to you?
Nick: I love Skidmore and have a passion for mentoring undergraduates and young alumni. I’m fortunate to have had a broad set of experiences in healthcare management and entrepreneurship, medical and scientific research, emergency medical care, as well as teaching and mentorship. As a first-year medical student, I also have a particularly up-to-date and intimate understanding of how to navigate the medical school application process. I’m eager to share lessons learned and to help Skidmore students excel in medicine and healthcare.
Shannon: What is your favorite piece of career advice?
Nick: My favorite career advice is to follow your heart. It’s classic advice, but worth returning to. Especially for pre-health students, it’s easy to get sucked into an intense focus on “checking off the boxes.” And to be sure, there are a lot of boxes that do in fact need to be checked off – from pre-requisite coursework to graduate school application requirements.
But don’t let those boxes or your conception of the “ideal pre-health student” dictate your undergraduate or post-graduate experience. Follow your heart. Develop your interests. Be an individual. Pursue your passions wherever they take you, whether or not your passions are related to medicine or science. Don’t be afraid to try new things and fail. As a Skidmore student, you are in the ideal setting to do just that. And in the end, following your heart – not mindlessly checking off boxes – prepares you to be the best healthcare provider and leader you can be.
Thank you to Nick and all of our awesome career advisors! If you're a Skidmore alumnus or parent and wish to serve as an advisor, please request an account here.
Skidmore's career counselors encourage all students to take advantage of exploring the network. Students can sign in to activate their account using their Skidmore login credentials.