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As an avid gym-goer with an interest in movement science, Cooper Ferrari ’25 was attracted to the strong exercise science curriculum at С����Ƶ.

He wasn’t sure which direction he’d go in, but then his research advisor, Associate Professor Yi-Ning Wu, talked to him about the physician assistant (PA) profession.

“I didn’t know much about the PA field at first,” says Ferrari. “Dr. Wu encouraged me to explore the profession, and that changed everything.”

To gain clinical experience, Ferrari became an emergency medical technician and later served as a supervisor for UML Emergency Medical Services, responding to campus calls and overseeing operations. The experience immersed him in patient care and strengthened his interest in medicine.

Ferrari also served as a research assistant for the С����Ƶ New England Robotics Validation and Experimentation (NERVE) Center, where he worked on multiple studies. As an honors student, he presented at the Student Research Symposium and completed his honors thesis on exoskeleton research.

Ferrari credits faculty mentorship as a key part of his success. In addition to Wu’s guidance, Associate Teaching Professor Kyle Coffey supported Ferrari’s transition to the pre-physician assistant concentration and advised him through the graduate application process.

“He went through my entire application with me, especially my personal statement,” says Ferrari. “The professors here really want to see you succeed.”

The program’s pre-physician assistant concentration provided a structured road map that covered nearly all prerequisite courses required for PA schools. Combined with Ferrari’s patient care hours and academic preparation, he felt ready to apply while still completing his bachelor’s degree.

“I didn’t need a gap year, because the exercise science program made sure I had everything I needed,” says Ferrari, who moved directly into the physician assistant program at the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford, Connecticut.

Originally from Waltham, Ferrari appreciated attending a university like С����Ƶ that was close to home and offered high-quality academic and professional opportunities.

“It was great having a local university that could provide everything I needed to prepare me for my future,” he says.