At the conclusion of the spring 2025 semester at USC, we sat down with Sidney Earley, who was a graduate assistant at USC Brain Health for two semesters while she worked toward her Master of Health Administration at the Arnold School of Public Health.

Throughout her time with us, Earley applied her amazing passion for brain health and good patient outcomes—and took away a transformative experience.

Tell us about yourself.
I'm originally from North Lake Tahoe, California. I attended the University of Oregon, where I earned a dual degree in Family and Human Services and Political Science. That experience, combined with personal encounters with the health care system, helped shape my passion for improving patient care.

How did you find out about USC Brain Health?
Brain health has always been close to my heart. I had a stroke shortly after birth and received care from an incredible team of doctors, Speech-Language Pathologists and physical therapists. That early experience gave me a deep appreciation for comprehensive, supportive care—and made me realize not everyone has access to it. When my program director told me about a graduate assistantship opportunity at USC Brain Health, I was excited. It felt like a full-circle moment in which I could bring my personal story into my professional work.

Tell us about your experience at USC Brain Health.
My projects have focused on community outreach, process improvement and patient engagement. One of my biggest initiatives was creating and implementing a caregiver- and patient-accessible survey to gather feedback on patient experiences. We asked questions to both patients and caregivers about communication, satisfaction and outcomes, which helped us identify both strengths and opportunities for improvement.

What’s your biggest takeaway from your experience with USC Brain Health?
The power of a passionate, interdisciplinary team. Whether it's the Nurse Practitioners, Speech-Language Pathologists, Community Health Workers or the administrative staff, everyone is genuinely committed to improving lives. That team-based, collaborative approach to care is something I’ll carry with me into every role moving forward.

What are your plans now that you’ve graduated?
I’ll soon be starting an administrative fellowship at Craig Hospital in Denver, Colorado, which specializes in brain and spinal cord injury rehabilitation. It’s a rotation-based fellowship where I’ll gain exposure to both clinical and administrative operations. Craig has been on my radar for years, especially after seeing the impact they had on a family friend who experienced a traumatic brain injury. Their work inspired me, and I’m honored to be joining their team.

What’s your ultimate career goal?
I know I want to work in healthcare operations or quality improvement—somewhere I can help shape systems that support whole-person care. Moving away from a diagnosis-centered model and toward a more holistic, patient-focused approach is really important to me.

Do you have any final thoughts about your time with USC Brain Health?

Just a lot of gratitude. The experience has been transformative. It’s helped me grow professionally and personally, and I’m thankful to have worked with such an inspiring team.