Catherine Shaer '74 knew from an early age that she wanted to be a pediatrician. She came to Quinnipiac on a full scholarship and studied biology.

"I was very well prepared through my undergraduate studies, so medical school wasn't difficult," Shaer says. "I'd had anatomy and physiology and genetics and biochemistry. In medical school, those classes were more detailed, but my preparation was thorough."

Shaer, a senior research scientist at George Washington University, wants to be sure that current students are well prepared for work in the medical field. She recently joined the advisory board of the School of Health Sciences at Quinnipiac. One of her goals is to make sure the University is in sync with anticipated job growth in the allied health professions.

Shaer works with children born with spina bifida, a birth defect that occurs in the first month of pregnancy when the spinal cord of the fetus fails to close completely. She is also the program manager for a federally-funded study aimed at increasing knowledge about the condition.

"Spina bifida is a very complicated condition. I've always thought that these children and their families needed an advocate," Shaer said.

She works closely with families affected by spina bifida. "After 19 years of working with them, I feel I've become a part of that community," Shaer said.

"If I have a busy day with a lot of high-pressure issues with patients, I try to focus on the fact that it may be a lot for me, but for each individual family, it's everything."