People sometimes mistake Crystal Arguelles and Julia Alvarez for sisters. It’s understandable since they spend so much time together and share a passion for nursing, but they did not meet until their first semester in the accelerated Pacesetter Bachelor of Nursing Practice (BSN) program at Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston.

Both grew up in Southeast Texas and earned bachelor’s degrees at other universities before applying to nursing school. Alvarez graduated from Westbrook High School in Beaumont and majored in allied health at Texas A&M. Arguelles attended Galena Park High School east of Houston and went to Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, where she earned a degree in biology and society while minoring in Spanish, nutrition, and inequality studies.

Arguelles would have never considered an Ivy League university if not for her parents’ emphasis on education and a school counselor who encouraged her to apply for a full-ride scholarship. The pandemic hit her second year of college, sending her back to Houston to study remotely for an entire semester. Fortunately, she was able to go back to school in person in time for her junior year abroad in Spain.

“The pandemic caused a shift, making me re-evaluate what I really wanted out of my life,” said Arguelles, who had been on a pre-med track. “I liked the nursing care model.”

Greater interaction with patients also attracted Alvarez to the field, and both agreed they did not want to go back to fully online classes.

“I’m much more of an in-person learner. Being able to talk to your professors and ask questions makes all the difference,” Alvarez said. Arguelles agreed that face-to-face education is particularly important for nursing students who must build social skills and learn how to work with patients.

Both chose Cizik School of Nursing for the unmatched clinical opportunities available within the Texas Medical Center.

“All around me are innovations and learning opportunities,” Arguelles said.

Alvarez recounted learning experiences in specialized research units with nurses who have earned certifications in a variety of fields. “The most important thing for me has been clinical experiences in teaching hospitals,” she said. She found nurses and physicians supportive and willing to teach regardless of a health care student’s field of study.

During one rotation together, the two students observed a site visit at a hospital working toward renewal of Magnet status through the American Nurses Credentialing Center. The auditors even asked the pair about their experiences as nursing students in the facility. The experience taught them about the rigorous criteria hospitals must meet through the Magnet Recognition Program and what that means for the workplace environment.

Both will graduate in December and plan to eventually come back to Cizik School of Nursing for graduate degrees. Arguelles is leaning toward teaching or becoming a clinical educator, and Alvarez is keeping her options open. “The school has so many programs to come back to,” she said.