UCLA Nursing student Priya Swaminathan publishes children’s book ahead of UCLA graduation

With this year’s commencement quickly approaching, UCLA Joe C. Wen School of Nursing graduate student Priya Swaminathan is celebrating another major accomplishment: the publication of her debut children’s book, Deepa, M.D. A blend of medical mystery, humor, and heart, Deepa, M.D. reflects her creative background, lived experiences, and evolving professional identity as a soon-to-be health care provider.

Swaminathan’s path to UCLA Nursing has not been a traditional one. Before enrolling in the school’s Master’s Entry Clinical Nurse (MECN) program, she spent nearly 20 years working in film and television, producing award-winning documentaries, shows, and more. Today, she’s using those same storytelling skills to help children better understand their bodies and the power of resilience. 

The inspiration for Deepa, M.D. goes back to Swaminathan’s early fascination with how the body works – a curiosity that would also end up pushing her to a career in nursing. It also took on new meaning after her daughter experienced a serious illness. 

“When my daughter wound up in the hospital, I was struck by how hard it was for her to describe what she was going through,” Swaminathan says. “Over time, she learned how to talk about pain, anxiety, and lots of other things happening in her body. It was powerful to see her find her footing.”

It was that experience that planted the seed for Deepa, M.D., a story centered around Deepa, a 12-year-old girl from Los Angeles navigating medical mysteries after her own life-changing illness. At its core, Swaminathan says the book is about finding strength in life’s obstacles.  

“We all go through tough times we want to wish away,” she says. “Looking back, many of those experiences changed me in big, sometimes beautiful, ways. In Deepa, M.D., the main character learns how to draw strength from the worst thing that’s ever happened to her.”

Swaminathan’s decision to attend UCLA Nursing came after a long and successful career in entertainment. Despite that success, she says she felt called to do something more. 

“After making movies for many years, I was searching for a more meaningful career,” she says. “Losing a family member showed me how deeply nurses can impact patients and their families during life-altering moments. It inspired me to get my act together and apply to nursing school.” 

Now in her final quarter at UCLA, Swaminathan says her nursing education unexpectedly strengthened her work as a writer. One of the challenges of this book, she says, was translating complex medical concepts into language children, ages 8-12, could understand and connect with. She credits her professors and clinical instructors with helping her do just that – a skill essential at the bedside and in the book. 

“I hope the book inspires young readers to connect with health care workers and see a place for themselves in the field,” she says.

After graduating, Swaminathan plans to pursue a career in oncology nursing. She recently completed her clinical immersion in an oncology unit at UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center and describes it as a transformative experience. 

Alongside nursing, she plans to continue writing and is already working on a second book in the Deepa, M.D. series scheduled for release in 2027.

Learn more about Deepa, M.D.