Voices from the Field - Q&A with Alumni

Joe Costa 21MSN, AGACNP-BC
Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
Winship at Emory Midtown

What drew you to nursing as a career?

Nursing was the best unexpected turn my career could have taken. Initially, I planned to become a physician and studied psychology to develop an understanding of people. After college, I worked in research psychology, but soon felt pulled back to clinical work. Joining an inpatient team, I worked with remarkable nurses. Seeing their impact on patients and families made my own path unmistakably clear. Nursing, in the end, became the best plot twist I never saw coming.

Why did you come to the Emory School of Nursing?

I chose it for its deep commitment to nursing excellence. While its national recognition, including its top-ranked master’s program, was certainly impressive, what resonated most with me was Emory’s visible impact across local and statewide health care. It offered me the opportunity to receive an exceptional education and be part of meaningful conversations about how health care can be delivered effectively and compassionately. 

What was your favorite class/activity while at the school?

I valued the MSN program’s ability to balance flexibility and engagement through its hybrid learning model. I especially enjoyed intensive skills days, which allowed me to build friendships and form study groups that became an important part of the experience. My involvement in the Graduate Student Government Association and School Life Committee was especially rewarding, allowing me to meet incredible people and leading to my continued service on the alumni association board.

Where do you work and what is your role?

I am an Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner in inpatient oncology at Winship at Emory Midtown. Since the campus opened in 2023, it has been rewarding to be part of its growth and see the impact it is making for our local community and the patients who travel from farther away to receive care.

How did the School of Nursing prepare you for your career?

The School of Nursing gave me the academic and clinical foundation for my career. It equipped me with the skills, confidence, and clinical decision-making framework I needed to pursue an oncology fellowship at Emory Healthcare. Together, my nursing school and fellowship experiences have shaped me into the provider I am today and led me to the role I am grateful to hold now.