Tijana Nedeljkovic, Case High School, Class of 2021
After high school, I chose to continue the healthcare journey I started in the biomedical science pathway. I enrolled at Carthage College to deepen my understanding of health sciences and explore where I could make the greatest impact. Throughout college, I worked as a pharmacy technician and a wellness associate, and now a product surveillance associate, gaining practical, real-world experience alongside my studies.
I graduated in May 2025 from Carthage College with a degree in Allied Health Sciences. Currently, I’m interning at Merz Aesthetics, a global pharmaceutical company, as part of their Product Surveillance team. This opportunity has allowed me to contribute to the safety and monitoring of healthcare products. I’m actively seeking a full-time position in the pharmaceutical industry where I can continue to grow and apply everything I’ve learned so far.
What are your plans for the future?
My goal is to secure a full-time role in the pharmaceutical field and continue growing both professionally and personally. I’m especially excited to build on the skills I’ve developed and to find a role that allows me to support healthcare from a non-clinical perspective. One of the most rewarding parts of this journey has been discovering how much I enjoy the behind-the-scenes aspects of healthcare—ensuring quality, safety, and innovation.
How did your high school experience help prepare you for your future?
High school played a major role in laying the foundation for my career path. The biomedical science program introduced me to the healthcare world and helped spark a genuine interest that I carried with me into college and beyond. Advanced classes challenged me and taught me valuable time management and organization skills that have helped me succeed in both academic and professional settings.
Being part of the Youth Apprenticeship Program and working as a pharmacy technician during the second half of high school and into college gave me a strong head start. It helped me gain real-world experience early on, build practical skills, and figure out the kind of work I enjoy. That opportunity played a big role in shaping my career path and set me on the track I’m still following today.
I’m also incredibly thankful for the encouragement I received from my high school health science teachers, as well as general education staff through social media post high school graduation —their support stuck with me throughout the past four years of college and helped push me forward.
Article published June 2025