Medical Assistant program appeals to second-career students
Aug 25, 2023
After 20 years as a successful textile sales professional, Anna Creed of Houston believed it was time for a change.
After seeing the courage and dedication healthcare professionals displayed during the pandemic, Creed decided to apply for the Medical Assistant program at Houston Community College – Coleman College for Health Sciences.
“During the pandemic, something inside me kind of switched,” Creed said. “I really admired the commitment of the healthcare workers during all the chaos. They put themselves at risk to serve the greater public, and it made me reflect. I had been doing sales all these years, and I felt I needed to do something more significant.”
She chose to become a medical assistant because it was a quicker way for her to enter the healthcare field and begin helping patients.
“The LVN route had more prerequisites and would’ve taken me longer to start and complete it,” Creed said. “Plus, I like that medical assistants have both clinical and administrative duties. It was just the right balance of care and business for me.”
Creed graduated from the Medical Assistant program in July 2023, and now she is employed at Kelsey-Seybold Clinic. She is just one of countless people starting a second career in healthcare by way of medical assistant.
“Healthcare careers, particularly those that involve direct patient career, are always in high demand, especially here in the Texas Medical Center,” said Cynthia Lundgren, Medical Assistant program director at HCC Coleman College. “Most people can complete the Medical Assistant program in a year and start working right away. It’s a good path into the healthcare field.”
Isaias Fajardo of Katy, Texas, a former business manager for his father’s headstone business, decided to seek a new profession six months ago. He sought a stable profession that would benefit himself as well as his family.
“People in my family look to me to be a provider and a helper. Their dependence on me is what motivated me, and it pushes me to keep going,” Fajardo said.
For Fajardo, working as a medical assistant will give him an edge in the job market and prepare him for a nursing career.
“As someone who has no medical experience, I’m taking stepping stones into the medical profession,” Fajardo said. “I’d like to start off as a medical assistant and then enter a bridge program to become a registered nurse.”
He will graduate from HCC Coleman College in May 2024.
Shams Zerin of Katy, Texas, received a scholarship from Amazon, where she works as an associate and learning ambassador in Inventory Control & Quality Assurance. She chose to invest the funds on a healthcare career and is now a new Medical Assistant student at HCC Coleman College.
“The Medical Assistant program is cost-effective and appeals to individuals who want to enter the healthcare field quickly,” Zerin said. “The work-life balance is also more manageable compared to other healthcare roles that may require longer shifts or irregular hours.
After she graduates in August 2024 and secures employment, Zerin intends to continue her education and earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree in a healthcare field. In the future, she plans to introduce a “one dollar medi service” in her community.
“My dream is put together a team that can provide basic healthcare and first aid in communities,” Zerin said. “This timely support can help prevent sudden death and severe illness to people who cannot afford the rising cost of medical care.”
“Every person has a different motivation for starting a second career in healthcare,” Lundgren said, “but they all share a desire to help others.”
Lundgren believes the COVID-19 pandemic increased the recognition of medical assistants as essential personnel and encouraged more people to enter the healthcare field.
“Though healthcare professions have always been a popular second career, I think COVID really brought to light the heroes of our community,” Lundgren said. “The increasing number of applications for the Medical Assistant program — as well as other programs that involve direct patient care — are really starting to reflect that.”
To learn more about the Medical Assistant program, visit hccs.edu/Medical-Assistant. To learn more about the full-time and part-time program options, email cynthia.lundgren@hccs.edu.