Some people were born to help others. Whether it’s through military enlistment, volunteerism or working in the service industry, some of us were made to lend a hand. For David, he’s made a career out of serving, first his country in the U.S. Navy, and soon, in his community as a certified medical assistant.
Before joining the military, David earned several prerequisite credits that would lead to a career in the medical field (think anatomy, chemistry and microbiology). He was studying health science at a vocational training center. But then, he stopped and enlisted in the Navy.
Once he retired from his military service, he still had the calling to help others, so he enrolled in the certified medical assistant program at Tidewater Community College. Twice a week for a few months, David sat in class for three-hour sessions – where he learned from the book but also got hands-on experience thanks to the registered nurse that taught his class.
“The teachers in the program were really good,” he said. “The RN who taught the class works in a clinic, so she brought that experience into the classroom and taught us everything she knew.”
Once he took the final exam and completed his clinical rotation at Bayview Cardiovascular Associates, he interviewed at the company and landed a job.
“I interviewed on the last day of my rotation and two weeks later, they called to let me know I got the job,” he said. “I love doing it all – interacting with patients, maintaining the rooms and getting paperwork organized.”
As a veteran, David wasn’t your typical student going back to school, but he wasn’t going to let that deter him from enrolling.
“I’m 42, and in the program, you had people anywhere from recent high school graduates to people in their 40s like me. We were all there trying to find a new career and keep pushing forward.”
If you’re like David and are looking for a new career, reach out and talk to you local FastForward Career Coach. They can help you figure out your options and talk about financial assistance to help you make them happen.