Kristen Kent is a self-professed jack of all trades, working for a time as a welder and later as the general manager of a hotel. But no matter what field she’s worked in, Kristen never lost the desire for a career in the medical field, a dream that was rekindled when she cared for her mother following an organ transplant.
Kristen first pursued training for a medical career when she enrolled at American National University in 2000, but she wasn’t able to complete her medical assisting program. With renewed determination, she returned to the $$Lexington Campus in 2013 and earned her associate’s degree and certification as a registered medical assistant (RMA) in 2014.
[img]At National, Kristen appreciated the dedication to students that was demonstrated by program director Jessica Hart and medical instructors Angela Maggard and Randi Barnett. “They were all great teachers; detailed; they cared; they made sure that you knew the information,” she recalled. She also worked closely with career center director Cheryl Howell to refine her résumé and conduct her job search.
Kristen was hired as a registered medical assistant by SKIN MD after graduating. She is hands-on in virtually every area of the busy dermatology practice, assisting the physician with everything from Botox to acne treatments, as well as working in the lab and front office. “I’m a medical assistant, that’s what I do. I help the doctor, and I love it,” Kristen said of her work in the office. “I never would have thought of dermatology, and I’ve learned a lot. God just placed it all right because it was everything that I was looking for.”
She particularly enjoys assisting with MOHS surgeries, a specialized procedure to remove skin cancer, an interest which may lead to yet another career which she can attain via the medical programs available at American National University. “It definitely has me considering the option of going back to school for surgical technology,” she said with a smile.
A- Kristen Kent has had careers as a welder and as a hotel general manager, but she finally fulfilled her dream of working in the medical field after graduating from the $$Lexington Campus and becoming a registered medical assistant.
B- Kristen works in the lab and the front office, in addition to assisting the physician at Skin MD.
