Student Spotlight: Rikki Kucinsk, Class of 2020

Female certified anesthesiologist assistant student in white coat standing at Case Western Reserve University sign

My name is Rikki Kucinski, and I am a first-year student from the Master of Science in Anesthesia Program at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.

Being born and raised in Cleveland, I was ecstatic to be able to stay in my hometown while in school. To many outsiders, Cleveland may seem a little rough around the edges, but once people move here, most of them never want to leave. It has a very unique and authentic personality—not to mention great local breweries, exciting sports teams, and beautiful metroparks. I love showing my classmates from out-of-state all the amazing things that Cleveland has to offer!

One of my favorite things about the MSA Program at Case Western Reserve University is the overwhelming feeling of support, not just from faculty and clinical instructors, but also from my classmates. You spend a lot of time with the other students in your class during your first year, and I’m so happy that my class has gotten so close. (We just planned our Secret Santa for the end of the semester!) It's really comforting to know that I can turn to any one of my classmates to vent about the bad days or celebrate the good days, without any judgment or jealousy. We all genuinely want to see each other succeed, and that supportive mentality is hard to come by in such a competitive field. The admissions committee does an incredible job of selecting not only extremely intelligent students, but also compassionate and loving human beings.

About this post: The Student Spotlight series highlights MSA students in their second year of coursework in Cleveland, Houston, and Washington. The series is a student-led initiative, and is designed to share current student experiences with prospective students.