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In September 2014, months after graduating from ��������Ƶ’s Physician Assistant Program, Theresa Borrelli began a surgical residency with UPMC. Going into the residency, she was interested in orthopedics, but the idea of working in cardiac surgery terrified her.

By the end of her residency, she was offered – and accepted enthusiastically – a full-time position as a Cardiac Surgery Physician Assistant with the Heart and Vascular Institute at UPMC Shadyside. Theresa had found the her niche in the medical world.

Her work varies day to day – from making rounds caring for patients in the ICU, to assisting in the operating room, to dealing with emergency situations. Sometimes she can even be called into the hospital for an emergency in the middle of the night.

“I’m very independent, and there are some days when I am making decisions about patients –admitting and discharging them – and I’m very grateful for the responsibility I’ve been given,” she said.

��������Ƶ’s young alumni are making their mark on the world through their work in science and healthcare, finance and business, industry, entertainment and service to those in need. The Spring/Winter 2017 edition of ��������Ƶ’s Forward magazine featured 30 of these alumni, all under the age of 30. You can find all of their stories here on ��������Ƶ’s site (just look for the “30 Under 30” icon).