Meet Nancy | COPE Health Scholar
Story 104

My journey started at Willits High School, where my teacher Ms. Barrett introduced me to the opportunity to be a volunteer at Adventist Health Howard Memorial. At first, I started with just shadowing the technicians. And then after that, I got transitioned into the upstairs with the patients. So I was able to follow the nurses, because then I really got to see behind the scenes. And they made me feel comfortable as a student, not even being an employee here, they made me feel welcomed. So, my journey through college was actually at Mendocino College, and I graduated with my AA in allied health. 

So I am working as a medical screener, which is a huge step into my medical/medicine career. I'm lucky enough to be an employee here at the hospital. So we get the 411 of opportunities. And I actually learned about the COPE Health Program through an email that I received from work, and it was talking about the medical assistant program and it seemed like something that would help me in my career. So, the program is actually a collaboration between COPE Health Scholars and Adventist Health. I really like this program. In the labs, we would practice the urine testing. We practiced phlebotomy. So, I was equipped with my coursework and with my labs. And eventually, I brought that into the clinicals. 

Another reason why I really like this program, it's self-paced, because I do have to balance my work life and my education. Sometimes we do have slower-pace days where I can sit down, have my computer, type up my homework, my assignments. It's really nice kind of be able to plan out my days.  

I will go on to graduate with my medical assistant certification. And one of the main reasons I really want to stay working at Adventist Howard Memorial is because it's been with me for a long time, since high school, being a volunteer and eventually working here. And it's also really close because it's local. And I get to give back to the community that has given so much to me. It's really nice working for a company that just doesn't feel like a company. It feels like a family, and they're very supportive. So that's what I really enjoy.