Changing the flight plan: UNTHSC student redirects from aviation to health care

By Sally Crocker for The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth

Taylor Harden was in a high-flying profession when she decided to reroute to a new destination. Her successful landing into health care moved her from an exciting career in aviation and travel into the business of healing and improving the lives of others.

Harden recently completed the online Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences from The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth’s College of Biomedical and Translational Sciences. This flexible program offers students a pathway to advanced studies or immediate entry into various health-related fields. Her plan is to navigate forward from here toward a career as a physician assistant.

“Eventually, I’d love to work in surgery,” she said. “The fast pace, high-stakes teamwork and adrenaline rush remind me a lot of what I loved about flying. I think the operating room would be the perfect place to use my ability to stay focused under pressure while making a difference in people’s lives.”

Harden graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s in aeronautical technology from Kansas State University’s professional pilot program. As a commercially rated pilot, she moved to Texas in 2021 and began working as a flight coordinator for a private charter company.

Even though she loved flying, Harden said she quickly realized that the airline path was not for her.

“I felt like something was missing. I had always wanted to be a doctor growing up, so I decided it was time to switch and pursue a health care career,” she said. “Aviation has been a huge part of my life, but deep down, I always knew I wanted to do something where I could make a more direct difference in people’s lives.”

Harden went back to school to complete the prerequisites and found UNTHSC.

“I chose UNTHSC because it felt like the full package: top-notch education, tons of support, cutting-edge research and the ability to take classes online while working full-time. It just felt like the right place to help me take the next step,” she said.

At UNTHSC, Harden found two classes that really stood out: microbiology and anatomy.

“In micro, the labs were incredible, and I looked forward to working on them each week,” she said. “Getting to work with bacterial cultures and actually see what we were learning about made the science feel real. Anatomy was another big highlight. It was one of my first classes at UNTHSC, and diving into dissections and learning the body inside and out gave me a strong start. Both classes made me even more excited to keep moving forward in health care.”

The UNTHSC faculty had a big impact on her learning, Harden said.

“They’re incredibly smart and successful, and they want to see students do well. They push you to work hard and think critically, and it’s made me better,” she said.

That support from faculty, along with Harden’s strong work ethic, helped her soar academically at UNTHSC.

“Taylor is a phenomenal student and role model for her peers. Her work is of such high quality that I use her project videos as examples of what students should strive for in my classes,” said Roxanne Zascavage, director of the undergraduate program and associate professor of microbiology, immunology and genetics.

“I am excited to watch her thrive as she pursues her dreams of becoming a PA. I know she will represent UNTHSC well,” Zascavage said.

In addition to the program faculty, she was encouraged through this journey by her boyfriend, a nurse, and her two “study buddy” cats.

“I think they’ve made an appearance in every video-proctored exam,” Harden said. “They’re about to unofficially have two degrees for helping me through school all these years!”

Along the way, she developed strategies that helped her succeed — and she shares this advice with current and future UNTHSC students: “Study, stay passionate, don’t let assignments pile up and ask questions. Enjoy the labs, get involved with your classmates and make the most of the excellent education UNTHSC offers. Also, don’t be afraid to join group chats and study groups — they’re lifesavers.”

From flying high in the sky to soaring toward a health care career, Harden has found her perfect landing.