Today’s episode is going to be a bit different. Over the last few years working with clients, I’ve gotten to meet some amazing people, and in this episode, I’d like to introduce you to one of those people: Meriah Ward. 

Meriah is a family nurse practitioner. They grew up in the rural south and became the first person in their family to graduate from college. They went on to complete their masters of science in nursing and are now pursuing their doctorate. Though Meriah highly values the educational opportunities they’ve had, they are of the belief that “you don’t have to have a formal degree to be a leader.” 

“As a student, I didn’t understand that leadership takes on many roles. As time went on and I was able to navigate treatment, I [stepped into roles that] really challenged me to take more ownership of my practice as a nurse,” they said. 

Meriah now works as a family nurse practitioner and has some wisdom to share on finding leadership opportunities, connecting with mentors and trusting that your work is valuable.

Here’s a look at how Meriah has approached things.

• Meriah started looking at jobs in their area before even starting NP school.
• While in school, they kept track of what opportunities were in their area.
• They did clinical rotations in rural areas that tend to be underserved.
• They reached out in community groups and on LinkedIn for advice on how to find a job in the area they were interested in.
• They applied for jobs that required experience when they met all the other qualifications.
• They invested in a résumé that truly represented them and boosted their confidence in their search.

LINKS & RESOURCES MENTIONED TODAY: 

• Enroll in my free New NP Bootcamp
• Job site for rural, underserved communities  
• Enjoyed this episode? Leave a tip by donating to Meriah’s nonprofit of choice, The LGBT Center of Raleigh

Listen to more episodes here!