With an interest in science and medicine combined with a desire to have a positive impact on other people’s lives, Emily Plaski ‘14 knew nursing was the career path for her and MSOE was the perfect starting point.

Plaski, a research nurse at the Medical College of Wisconsin in the Center for Advancing Population Science, is grateful for her experiences at MSOE, especially the variety of classes, labs, simulations and clinical experiences that prepared her for her career.  

“The nursing curriculum at MSOE gave me a solid understanding of the human body, disease and nursing. I use that knowledge every day at work,” said Plaski.

As a research nurse, Plaski has a variety of responsibilities, which she says is one of the highlights of her job. One of her main roles is to provide education and skills training for participants in the medical college’s diabetes studies. With the rise of COVID-19, Plaski’s roles shifted to help care for the community during the pandemic.

“Just recently, our department has started a new study involving testing individuals in Milwaukee for COVID-19 and providing them with education about the virus and the pandemic.”

Plaski and her clinical team go out in pairs each day to provide this testing at various community sites. This testing helps her department work to understand and fix the health disparities that exist among minority groups.

“It feels great to be able to provide this testing and education to people who might otherwise not have access to it,” said Plaski. “I am so glad to be a part of this research because fixing these long-standing issues is so important for our communities. My department and I hope that one day, this research will lead to system-wide changes that will decrease these disparities and allow everyone to live healthier lives, regardless of race or socioeconomic status.”

Outside of work, Plaski enjoys watching horror movies, reading, playing Animal Crossing and doing arts and crafts projects. She plans to fill her summer with swimming and hiking adventures with her fiancé.