As the fourth child in his family to enter college, Nick Bosley ’24 initially had concerns about his ability to afford higher education. He says the scholarships he received made it possible for him to attend UVM and work on innovative medical interventions that will improve the lives of seriously ill patients. “It was thanks to scholarship support that I was able to put aside those worries and rest assured that I could go to the college of my choice, without having to worry about going up to my eyes in debt from student loans.”
Bosley is a recipient of the Abraham Family Scholarship and the L. Richard Fisher Scholarship. Photos produced by Driven Studio, 2021.
Nick Bosley ’24 can vividly remember the childhood summer when his father Bruce became gravely ill. Now a sophomore double-majoring in biomedical engineering and computer science, he’s on a mission to make sure others have the same positive outcome—and the gift of more time—that his family received.
What started as mild symptoms initially dismissed as the flu quickly became a debilitating illness that left Nick’s father bedridden for weeks before being admitted to the UVM Medical Center. Tests revealed that he had developed endocarditis, a life-threatening inflammation of the inner lining of the heart’s chambers and valves. A bacterial infection in his bloodstream had exacerbated a pre-existing condition in his heart and had done irreparable damage to one of the valves.
“He was really in grave shape, and I was beginning to worry,” said Bosley. “But eventually he did get better, thankfully.”
Bosley’s father underwent life-saving open heart surgery to replace the valve. His doctor gave him two choices: a porcine valve that would last only a few years or a mechanical valve that, along with prescription medications, would continue to function throughout his lifetime. Hoping to eliminate the need for future operations, he opted for the mechanical valve, a beautifully simple yet sophisticated device consisting of two leaflets surrounded by a metal ring. Over the next several months, he slowly made a full recovery.
“That’s really why I went into biomedical engineering,” says Bosley. “I really attached to the engineering aspect, the physical mechanisms. I looked at that whole experience and thought, ‘It’s amazing that they can make something that can keep you alive, and you’re good to go for the rest of your life.’”
Bosley says the life-saving care his father received made an impression on the whole family—all three of his siblings have also pursued careers in medical-related fields. For Bosley, it was a defining moment in his life that would inform his interests and aspirations, but also a trauma that he hopes to help mitigate for other families.
“I remember how afraid I was during those few weeks. And I don’t really want anyone to have to feel that. It’s my hope that with the biomedical engineering degree, I can make something like what saved my dad—to save someone else’s dad, to save someone else’s son.”
“It is my hope to become more specialized in the creation of artificial organs and prosthetics so that others like my dad can continue to live their lives without having to worry about side effects and drug interactions. It is my dream—a dream that you are helping me to fulfill—to better the lives of others despite the tragedy that they may face.”