Adam Reilly-Dreas has always loved serving and taking care of others. He spent six years taking care of students as a special education teacher and decided to focus on a career that would allow him to focus even more on individual care needs.  

“I wanted to remain in the field of HEAL (health, education, administration, and literacy),” he said. “I routinely performed personal care for students as a teacher – everything from feeding to medication administration. It was those experiences caring for students with disabilities that made me want to pursue a career in nursing.” 

Reilly-Dreas is studying to earn an ABSN (Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing) at Duke University School of Nursing. He chose Duke because it has one of the premier nursing programs in the country. He also appreciated the university’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, in addition to the focus on social determinants of health, health promotion and community/public health preventative services. 

“The Duke experience has been wonderful for me thus far,” he said. “I remember a staff member sharing with students during orientation that, ‘You are all Duke students, not just nursing students.’ That statement made me feel empowered to take advantage of everything that the Duke campus had to offer.” 

Reilly-Dreas has taken advantage of numerous opportunities at Duke, including being a member of the a cappella choir, the Nightingales, and bonding with fellow students at athletic events and dining at the Brodhead Center.  

After graduation, he plans to be a labor and delivery nurse, but he is open to other experiences in nursing as well. 

“DUSON has prepared me to take on a position in any specialty. I can say with certainty that I feel I could contribute to any unit, in a hospital or community setting because of the experiences and training that DUSON has afforded me,” Reilly-Dreas said. “I want to give myself to others and be a servant to those in need. It’s hard to explain the call to be a nurse, but when you know, you know. I want to be a source of comfort and security for those in my care.”