One of the ways that new students hear about the opportunities that Ross offers is through friends, coworkers, and family members that change their careers and lives by attending a Ross Medical Education Center campus. Often there are a couple people in a family that will attend Ross based on a recommendation from their relative. However, it gets more fun as it becomes even more of a family affair. One family had not just one or two Ross graduates, but four! Representing three generations, this family really became part of the Ross family and we wanted to check in with them and see how they were all doing in their lives and field now!
Read more about the remarkable stories of Sonja Williams, her aunt Marilyn Twine, her mother Henrietta Smith, and finally, her daughter Donielle Moore in the interviews below.
First, we spoke with Sonja Williams, a 2001 graduate of the Medical Assistant program.
How would you describe your overall experience at Ross?
My experience at Ross was positive. Everyone from the Director to the Financial Aid Representative were always very helpful. I have attended other schools and my experiences were not as personalized.
How was your experience in the classroom?
The experience in the classroom was awesome. Our instructor was knowledgeable in the field and classes were interactive and hands on. What we learned in class was just like it was in the field.
How was your externship experience?
My externship was great. I worked with the physician as well as a nurse practitioner. My daughter ended up doing her externship there as well, and we were both hired after we completed our hours.
How has your Ross education benefited you since graduating?
My education from Ross has been a benefit in many ways. I have been employed as a Phlebotomist and Laboratory Assistant for a couple of laboratories, including Quest Diagnostics, an Administrative Associate at Genesys Regional Medical Center, a Medical Assistant, a Clinical Coordinator of the Medical Assisting, Medical Clinical Assisting, and Medical Laboratory Assisting programs at Miller-Motte College in Cary, NC, and Medical Assisting Instructor at Durham Technical Community College. I have been employed at Duke Medicine in Durham, NC, and I am now a Certified Medical Assistant at UNC Cancer Hospitals Adult Oncology Clinics in Chapel Hill, NC. I still use what I learned at Ross in my daily work life as well as when I am teaching Medical Assisting.
Would you recommend Ross? If so, why?
Yes. I would recommend Ross because they provide a well-rounded experience and the curriculum is directly related to real world situations. The instructors have worked in the field and are very knowledgeable and helpful. I am working towards bringing a Ross school to Durham, NC because there are not any schools here now that I feel provide quality education for future Medical Assistants and Medical Administrative personnel. I have recommended my youngest daughter and she will be attending the Medical Insurance Billing and Office Administration program in September.
How did Ross help you make a change?
Attending Ross allowed me to sit for the Registered Medical Assistant exam through American Medical Technologists. Though at that time it was not required in Michigan, certification is required in North Carolina by the major health care systems. Ross also gave me the foundation to continue my education. I received a Bachelor of Science degree from Central Michigan University. And by the way, my credits from Ross were accepted there and at University of Michigan-Flint.
What was it like having several generations of your family choose Ross?
It was great having my mom, my aunt, myself, and my oldest daughter attend Ross. We are a close knit family and we were able to help and encourage each other. When I returned in 2000, my daughter and I attended together.
How did having your other family members attend Ross affect your decision to enroll?
My aunt attended as a Medical Assistant student first and she was really excited about everything they were doing. Then my Mom started as a Medical Insurance Billing and Office Administration student. I started the first time shortly after that and up until my automobile accident.
For a long time after that I was afraid to ride in a car, but I trusted my mother’s and my aunt’s judgment and I wanted to finish what I started. I took a Phlebotomy class at Mott Community College, became certified and worked as a Phlebotomist and Medical Assistant until I returned to Ross with my daughter in 2000 after she graduated from high school. We were in the same class.
She has worked as Skin and Vein in Fenton, MI for 15 years and recently was offered a position as Surgical Coordinator at Legacy Dermatology. She is attending the University of Michigan-Flint to obtain a Bachelor’s in Healthcare Administration. My aunt went on to earn a Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Health Care Administration. My mother earned her Bachelor’s in Social Work from the University of Michigan-Flint and eventually became a minister.
Next, we spoke with Marilyn Twine, Sonja’s aunt, a 1983 graduate of the Medical Assistant program.
How would you describe your overall experience at Ross?
I enjoyed my learning experience at Ross Medical Education Center. It was fast-paced, information packed, and it completely prepared me for the world of work in a medical office or hospital setting. My program included 18 classes in general education, administration, and clinical/laboratory. My average grade was 94.4% with 14 As and four Bs, and the successful completion of my externship.
How was your experience in the classroom?
My classroom experience was awesome! I had fantastic instructors who shared their on-the-job experience and were kind and compassionate. At that time we used oranges to practice injections!
How was your externship experience?
My externship was an exceptional experience. I was in the office of Dr. Diggs and staff, and was included in many medical procedures including a sigmoidoscopy. I was given duties of substance, and had a real opportunity to learn, ask questions, and grow.
How has your Ross education benefited you since graduating?
My education was extremely beneficial. I started my first job just days after graduation. I worked in the medical field for years. I have since left the medical field, but will always cherish the time I spent in that profession.
Would you recommend Ross? If so, why?
I would recommend Ross to others because it provides the necessary education to put you on the pathway to medical office success quickly and at an affordable price.
How did Ross help you make a change?
Ross provided me with the calling cards of education and experience to get me into the world of work quickly.
What was it like having several generations of your family choose Ross?
Since I was the first in my family to attend Ross, there is certainly a feeling of pride to see my nieces doing so well in the medical field, loving what they do, and being real agents of change in their fields, and it all started with Ross!
Then we spoke with Henrietta Smith, Sonja’s mother, a 1985 graduate of the Medical Insurance Billing and Office Administration program.
Why did you choose Ross?
After working for almost 20 years as a Nurse’s Aide at Hurley Medical Center, I wanted to further my education and try something different in a short amount of time.
How was your experience in the classroom?
I learned a lot about insurance billing, and I enjoyed that the most.
How has your Ross education benefited you since graduating?
I worked for a short time as a Medical Office Assistant in a physician’s office at the front desk and doing some of the billing.
How did Ross help you make a change?
Completing the program at Ross motivated me to continue my education further. So, I enrolled at Mott Community College, received an Associate of Applied Science degree, and then went on to University of Michigan-Flint where I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work.
Would you recommend Ross? If so, why?
I want current and future students to know that attending Ross Medical Education Center was a positive experience, and it can help you achieve your goals.
Finally, we spoke with Donielle Moore, Sonja’s daughter, an incoming student in the Medical Insurance Billing and Office Administration program in Davison, Michigan.
How excited are you to be following in your mother’s footsteps in attending Ross?
I am very excited! It is a new opportunity for me and a way for me to also be a part of the medical field but to still stand out and do something different.
What are your goals your want to accomplish while attending Ross this fall?
I want to learn new skills that will help me in my chosen career path as a Medical Biller.
What made you decide you wanted to start a career in the healthcare field?
With my both my mom and sister both being in healthcare, it is something that I have previous experience with and knowledge of but can still learn a lot about.
What factors helped you to decide the program you’ll be studying while attending Ross?
I wanted to do something in the medical field, but I knew direct patient care was not really what I wanted to do. I have always been more interested in the business side of things.
What challenges do you think you’ll face while attending classes at Ross?
None. I learn quickly, and I work hard.
If you are interested in making a change in your life and even starting your own Ross family tradition, check out our healthcare training programs today!