Mary Anderson is currently a medical assistant student at Ross Education. She was nominated as a GEM for her hard work and dedication. She is currently in her fifth month of the program, and will soon start her externship. Her positive attitude does not go unnoticed. Despite the hardships that she faces on a daily basis, she still comes to class happy and ready to learn. She has perfect attendance and she has shown such dedication to her program. Her instructors are extremely proud of her and all that she’s accomplished. They are so excited to see what her future holds as a medical assistant.
We had the opportunity to hear her story.
Here is what she had to say:
Tell me a little bit about yourself.
My name is Mary Anderson and I have three kids and a husband. I love to read. My idea of a good time is curling up in a corner with a good book and snacks. I am currently studying medical assisting at Ross and I am in my 4th mod. My goal is to do my externship at Health West. I would love to get a job there eventually.
What led you to Ross? Have you always been in healthcare or was Ross your first exposure to healthcare?
So I was working in food services and retail for a while, and although I learned a lot of skills from these jobs, I wasn’t feeling any sense of fulfillment from them. I needed to make a change and do something different. I also wanted to feel like I was making a difference. Ross was my first experience with healthcare as a career, my only previous exposure has been as a patient.
How has your experience at Ross been so far? Do you have any memorable experiences or moments?
My experience at Ross has been amazing and eye opening. The instructors are very friendly, knowledgeable, and always willing to help if you are struggling. They make learning enjoyable. My first mod was difficult and it took me a long time to get into the swing of the Ross routine. Once I had a handle of the schedule and how everything worked, classes went a lot smoother. Injections were done in my first mod, and that was probably the most memorable moment. I was very nervous and felt like I was getting thrown into the deep end of a pool without the ability to swim. I am not one to shy away from a challenge, though. I just showed up, followed all the lessons intently and completed injections.
Did you have any people that inspired you along the way?
My mom inspired me. She was a single mom, raising two kids while working two jobs. She taught my sister and I about hard work and perseverance in the face of adversity.
What are some important lessons that you’ve learned so far (can be professional or personal)?
An important lesson I have learned is to keep going even when you feel like giving up because the outcome on the other side could be life changing.
What advice would you give to students who want to pursue a similar path as you?
The advice I would give students who are thinking of pursuing a similar path is to keep going. Even though it may seem scary and overwhelming to start this path, it’s very worth it in the end. If it seems impossible and you just want to quit, just keep going.
What are a few things that you wish you knew before going into the medical field?
I wish that I knew just how extensive medical terminology can be. It’s been a long time since my last English class and I know I learned about prefixes, suffixes and word roots, it’s just using them in the context of medical terms that has been a learning curve.
My greatest achievement, besides my children, is making this career change, seeing through and not giving up.
What advice would you give your younger self?
If I had to give advice to my younger self I would tell her not to worry about what others say about her and be less of a people pleaser.
A fun fact about you.
I did the ghost pepper challenge on two separate occasions. I consumed a whole ghost pepper both times. It was not enjoyable and I would not recommend it.