During his senior year nursing preceptorship through Curry College, Devin Sadlers ’13 found himself on the front lines of an unimaginable crisis.
While working in a medical Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in Boston during the devastating 2013 Marathon bombings, he was overwhelmed by the intensity and gravity of the tragedy as critically injured patients poured into his unit. Yet, amidst the weight of it all, he experienced a moment of clarity—he knew that nursing was his true calling and that he was exactly where he was meant to be.
"In that moment, I knew this was something I wanted to do. I wanted to help people, no matter the circumstances. And that day, I realized I could handle even the most difficult, unpredictable situations."
Today, Devin is a certified registered nurse anesthetist at St. Luke's Hospital in New Bedford with Southcoast Health. His primary responsibilities are to assess patients before anesthesia for surgical procedures, monitor and maintain anesthesia for patients during their procedure, and provide post-anesthesia care in the postoperative period.
His nursing career began with his undergraduate clinical rotations in Boston at some of the best hospitals in the world. “I knew I made the right decision in choosing Curry based on those clinical rotations afforded to me. My nursing faculty always gave me the best opportunity for something I wanted to pursue.”
But for Devin, his decision to study at Curry is validated beyond a successful career. Without Curry, he wouldn’t have the lasting friendships he formed with his teammates on the men’s soccer team. But most importantly, without Curry, he wouldn’t have met the love of his life.
“I have a memory bank full of amazing moments from Curry. But my favorite memory took place after I graduated, when my wife and I were inducted into the Curry College Athletic Hall of Fame. It was a great honor, but the reason why it was my favorite memory was because I brought my daughter to Curry and showed her where my wife and I met and fell in love.
"We were able to celebrate our achievements on the field, and in life, with family and friends who have been there with us through it all. It was a special memory and night I will never forget.”
As a standout student-athlete for the men’s soccer program, Devin gained not only lifelong friends, but tangible skills that he uses daily in the operating room, including teamwork, critical thinking, and adaptability.
“Being a part of a team is what I have to do every single day now. Intense situations in games and dealing with that pressure directly translates to the operating room. Adapting to changes and critically thinking through scenarios can happen on the field or during an emergency surgery.”
Looking back on a transformative experience, Devin expressed deep gratitude for the opportunities Curry College offered him, which had a major impact on shaping his life.