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Throughout February, we’re telling the stories of some of our amazing graduates who have had massive success in their careers. Today, graduate Omarr Savage, NP (Nursing class of 2017) tells us the story of how he went from working in a group home in Maryland to becoming a licensed Nurse Practitioner of mental health in Manhattan. Check out Omarr’s story and his tips on balancing mental health with education.  

*Interviews have been edited and condensed for this article 

How did you find yourself at Swedish Institute? 

I was living in Maryland and taking some pre-nursing courses there when my wife, a physician, found a program in New York. So I moved here, and I found myself at Swedish Institute. Before that, I’d worked at group homes and with kids with disabilities or criminal records. I went into nursing school with that experience in mind, knowing I wanted to be a psychiatric nurse.  

Once I got to Swedish Institute, I busted my ass to get really good grades because I knew I wanted to go to grad school. I helped bring the nursing association to the school and was elected president of it. 

Once I graduated, I worked in outpatient and inpatient settings as a psychiatric nurse. While doing that, I was getting my BSN online with the University of Texas. When that was finishing, I applied to NYU on a whim, and I got in. I started there in the spring of 2021 and graduated in 2024 as an NP. After passing my boards and getting credentialed, I started working downtown at Integrated Psych. 

While you were at Swedish Institute, what skills did you learn that you’ve brought into your career as a whole? 

I learned how to really manage my time. Nursing is not the easiest program, and I wanted to try my best to get good grades. My instructors helped us set up a calendar to understand what we each need to succeed and to prepare for the future. A lot of going to clinical and such is time management and balancing the ups and downs. There isn’t cramming in nursing school; it’s consistent. And that level of consistency builds a strong foundation that I brought into my jobs and the practice that I do today.  

Working in psychiatric nursing, do you often hear a lot of misconceptions about how to treat and talk about mental health in general? 

There’s a tremendous amount of stigma about mental health conditions. When people talk about getting help, everyone assumes they’re “crazy,” and there’s a lot of misconceptions about medication. We need to take care of our minds the same way we take care of our bodies. It’s easy to walk around life with a mask, appearing okay to the outside. But we don’t know that people are struggling until they crash and burn. Mental health should be taken seriously not only in our lives but in the lives of everyone.  

Do you have any advice on looking for signs of someone struggling or preventing burnout in your own life? 

If you’re worried about someone’s mental health, encourage an open dialogue, asking people how they’re doing — really doing. Pay attention to changes in how people behave. If someone’s feeling depressed, you might see them changing their behaviors and isolating. They may have a harder time getting out of bed, getting up and going. It’s important to check in on people and make sure they’re doing okay. But more importantly, people need to be proactive about their own mental health and stay on top of their goals. If you’re in stressful situations, find an outlet to talk to someone, whether it’s a friend or a therapist. I often say, “we’re not a well that can’t be emptied; we are a cup that needs to be filled.” 

That’s great advice, thank you. Last question: what advice would you give to students at Swedish Institute who are getting ready to graduate?

When you get out into the workforce, there are tons of options. You might not like your first profession; you might even hate it. But that doesn’t mean you’re stuck. Keep your options open and get ready to find a niche that fits. When you find what you love about nursing and stick to it, it’ll be better for you and for your patients.