The farm in the northern Philippines that Arlene Corpuz, DNP ’22, RN, grew up on was both a source of fun as a playground and the source of many lessons in responsibility, as she tended to animals and herded goats.
It was also where her parents instilled the importance of an education. Now, as a recent Doctor of Nursing Practice graduate with a specialty in nursing informatics, Corpuz is prepared to leverage technology and informatics solutions to support the unique health care needs of veterans.
Realizing the potential of technology to improve patient care
At 16 years old, Corpuz left her family’s farm and attended college in Manila to earn a degree in computer science. After graduation, she secured a job in Japan as a factory worker and eventually immigrated to the United States. Influenced by her mother-in-law who was a nurse, Corpuz pursued a nursing degree. The degree led her to join the military, where as an Army nurse she had the opportunity to serve in various health care areas.
She began in the medical surgical unit, then trained in the mother-baby unit and eventually moved to the emergency department while being stationed first at Fort Irwin, California, and then at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, which is the world’s largest joint military medical center.
