ADVANCING MY CAREER IN HEALTH CARE
I started my career in the healthcare field by becoming a medical assistant. I worked in private practice for some time, but decided I wanted to advance by career by completing a bachelor’s degree. I liked the fact that LLU offered an online healthcare administration program with a structured coursework plan that would allow me to know exactly when I would graduate. I graduated from the BSHA program in 2018, and today I work in LLUH’s Transplant Institute.
LEARNING TO LEAD SUSTAINABLY
My experience in the BSHA program showed me more than just how to be a healthcare administrator. The BSHA program taught me how to be a better leader, a better member of my community, and an overall better person. Courses like Emotional Intelligence (EI) and Leadership for Healthcare helped mold me into the leader my current role required. It taught me the importance of empathy and being able to place myself in another person’s shoes. Sustainability for Healthcare taught me how small changes in our workplace and our homes can make a huge impact for the future of our planet. And Healthcare Information Systems gave me a glimpse of where I want to take my career.
BECOMING A CONFIDENT PUBLIC SPEAKER
I never thought that completing my bachelor’s degree online would change me the way it has changed me. The coursework and professors helped me gain confidence, improve my communication skills, and taught me to stay organized while both working full time and going to school full time. For example, as part of my curriculum, I volunteered for an organization that works with organ donors and transplants. This experience allowed me to strengthen my public speaking skills, giving me confidence in my ability to talk to crowds. Video and live presentations in the BSHA program gave me further skill in communicating on healthcare topics. Regarding organization, my courses were broken up into weekly modules, which helped hone my time management skills. I was able to plan ahead based on individual assignments’ due dates. I was also able to break up larger projects into small, manageable pieces, allowing me to complete big projects in an organized manner.
Overall, completing my BSHA degree was the first step into an exciting future. My next goal is to enroll in a graduate program in health information management, because I would like to have a career as an Instructional Designer in health informatics.