#MeetUsMonday - Meet DNP Student and Cancer Center Nurse Linsey
Meet Linsey.
Sourdough baker, back-woods camper, and white-water rafter who loves hiking and running with husband Andrew and their dogs Maisie and Huck. Grew up in Corning, NY, playing violin, lacrosse, and tennis, and earned the nickname “mom” from teammates because she always had snacks, Band-Aids, extra hair ties. A former NICU nurse who became a hematology/oncology nurse at UVA Health Cancer Center during COVID. Now a DNP student and one of two DNPs chosen for AstraZeneca’s inaugural DNP fellowship.
HER PATH TO NURSING and UVA
“I come from a family with deep roots in healthcare. My Aunt Katie and grandmother were both nurses, and my uncle serves our local community as a general surgeon. My cousin, Jamie, is an emergency medicine physician, and my brother-in-law, Peter, and his wife, Caitlin, are both doctors at UCLA. Being surrounded by people who dedicate their lives to caring for others made nursing feel like a natural path for me. But I knew I wanted to be a nurse early in my childhood when I saw the exceptional care my sister received while undergoing brain surgery at Boston Children’s Hospital.
“My older sister, Ainsley, played lacrosse at UVA, and during one of my visits to watch her play, I fell in love with the beauty and energy of Grounds. When I toured the School of Nursing, I immediately felt at home. As a UVA undergraduate, I was fortunate to find mentors and peers who encouraged and inspired me—and who helped shape me into the nurse I am today. I became a nurse in 2016.”
“Balancing work with graduate school has been surprisingly manageable, thanks to the program’s mix of self-paced online modules and once-a-month on-Grounds sessions. That flexibility—whether you choose full-time or part-time—makes it ideal for people with families, and the culture is refreshingly collaborative. Because most learning happens asynchronously, those in-person visits feel special: I reconnect with classmates, recharge my motivation, and leave inspired for the month ahead."
Linsey Wilkinson Young, DNP student and oncology nurse
EARLY NURSING ROLES
“I initially worked for 5 ½ years as a NICU nurse, then transitioned over to UVA Health’s Couric Cancer Center. The doctors I support, including Drs. Emily Ayers and Enrica Marchi, empowered me to take a leap into furthering my education.
“I learned my critical thinking skills in the NICU, and I value the time I had there. Following COVID, though, I needed to make a change for my mental health. The Cancer Center is a positive work environment with exceptional colleagues and supportive managers—everyone’s a team player. I’m thrilled to be back at UVA for my doctorate. Becoming a doctorally-prepared nurse practitioner is demanding, but I’m profoundly grateful for the opportunity. It’s rekindled my passion for learning.”
WHAT RETURNING FOR GRADUATE SCHOOL IS LIKE
“Returning to graduate school as an adult feels worlds apart—and, so far, absolutely rewarding. Back in my undergrad days, I had no idea what to expect, no patient experience to draw on; I wasn’t yet a nurse. Now, I come with hard-earned perspective and, as they say, a little more wisdom. UVA still feels wonderfully safe and welcoming, and seeing familiar faces like senior assistant dean Theresa Carroll makes it even better. Above all, I get to immerse myself in the courses I’m genuinely excited to take.
“Balancing work with graduate school has been surprisingly manageable, thanks to the program’s mix of self-paced online modules and once-a-month on-Grounds sessions. That flexibility—whether you choose full-time or part-time—makes it ideal for people with families, and the culture is refreshingly collaborative. Because most learning happens asynchronously, those in-person visits feel special: I reconnect with classmates, recharge my motivation, and leave inspired for the month ahead.
“I also love the freedom to pick electives, and am even retaking one of my favorite undergraduate classes—professor Rick Mayes’s Introduction to U.S. Healthcare—with a new perspective. I’ve guest-lectured in his course as an RN, and now I’m back as a student wearing my advanced-practice hat. Years of experience, including battles with insurance companies, have shown me how quickly the healthcare landscape shifts.
“This summer, professor Mayes will mentor my independent study, ‘Buried costs: Coal mining, cancer, and healthcare in Appalachia.” The journey I’m on feels anything but intimidating; instead, I’m energized by the possibilities it’s opening for my future practice.”
UVA SCHOOL OF NURSING IN A WORD?
“COMPASSION. As a UVA undergrad, and nursing student, I’ve been surrounded by mentors, peers, and colleagues who lead with heart. Their unwavering support and empathy have guided me to grow into a compassionate and resilient nurse. My friend Jane Muir, a fellow UVA nursing alumna, helped to instill the idea of compassion through her work with the UVA Compassionate Care Initiative during our time in undergrad, something that moves me still. I value our friendship, but also her mentorship.”
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