Long Beach, California, native Siedra Johnson built her life around caring for others—both professionally and personally. Working as a direct support professional, she assists elderly individuals with their daily activities, a role that reflects her natural compassion and dedication. Raised by her grandmother, she grew up with a strong sense of resilience and creativity, often finding joy in creative ventures. Surrounded by a supportive boyfriend, family, and her two stepchildren, she found fulfillment in caregiving careers like home health, where helping others brought her a deep sense of purpose. Although she excelled in school, she once stepped away from her education—until the memory of her grandmother, who always believed she had what it took to work in healthcare, inspired her to pursue that dream with renewed determination. She joined American National University’s online Medical Assisting program to pursue her passions. With her dedication, Siedra was named a Term Trailblazer for Term 258!

When she made the decision to return to school, she began researching programs online, determined to find the right fit for her goals. It didn’t take long for American National University to stand out. “ANU was just on it! They answered all my questions, everything was [sic] timely, everybody was nice and very helpful… I got a good vibe from everybody, it just felt right,” she shared. That positive first impression was only strengthened by her experience with her admissions representative, I’Kea, who played a key role in making the process feel manageable and personal. “I’Kea was very supportive and she understood little things I had going on, she would work around it, I would work around her schedule, it was very cool!”

Throughout her time in the program, Siedra found encouragement and support from her instructors, including Carrie Rodriguez, Dr. Stephanie Denton, and Andrew Halverson. However, one professor who made a particularly lasting impact was Abby Chelstowski, especially during a challenging term when balancing school, work, and life became overwhelming. “She worked with me for Term 258! It was hard! It was like – I wouldn’t say it was hard, it was just with work and the things I had to turn in – I was exhausted! I started procrastinating a lot. And most professors won’t get into depth… she was like, ‘hey, you didn’t turn this in, if you don’t turn in something, you’re gonna have to repeat all of this!’ I was probably like four or five weeks in [a term], she would open things back up for me… I would get it done,” she explained. In reflecting on her time in Professor Abby’s class, she smiled and said, “she was just like, ‘Sisi relax, you got this!’ She was just so supportive, it didn’t seem like she got irritated by my questions… She was always nice and prompt and I love her! She really got me here at this point.”

“I think they, for some positions, they probably overly prepare us for!”

Her future goals include working in a unit for children or within a clinic to give back to her community. “I would love to have an opportunity to work with babies!” She enthuses.

Would she recommend ANU to others? “I definitely would. Especially the busy person who [sic] can’t physically go into a school, that are working or busy with homelife… [With ANU], you can move how you want to, just make sure you get it done. I would definitely recommend it, it’s ten out of ten. And it’s a great online school!”

Her advice to new students: “Come to class, make time for your work, study but don’t overstudy, and just make sure you’re paying attention to all of the material the professors are posting. Check your emails to keep yourself on top of everything.”

The post Back to School, Forward in Purpose appeared first on American National University.

For Samantha Kunz Voelker, a lifelong dedication to hard work has always been second nature. After years in retail, where her friendly and outgoing personality shined, she found herself longing for a career with more purpose and room to grow. When her husband was diagnosed with stage 4 heart failure, Samantha’s life changed dramatically. She became deeply involved in his care, learning everything she could about his condition and medical needs. That experience sparked a new passion for healthcare and inspired her to pursue her education at American National University, where she could build a meaningful career while continuing to care for her husband at home. Her dedication and determination recently earned her recognition as a Term Trailblazer for term 254!

At first, Samantha wasn’t entirely sure if a career in healthcare was the right path – she just knew how much she loved caring for her husband and children. As she began exploring schools online, one name immediately caught her eye. Her strong sense of patriotism drew her to American National University, and she decided to learn more. After filling out her information, she was soon contacted by a member of the admissions team, whose encouragement and guidance helped Samantha take the next step toward her new career journey.

“She made me want to go… she instantly made me feel like I was part of [ANU] already.”

Her education at ANU has given Samantha the confidence to improve the care she gives her husband, and to one day join the field of medical assisting. “It’s more than I ever thought,” she says, “being able to do school at home and work in my own comfort, I feel like I’m absorbing more. I don’t feel as intimidated.” Being online has given Samantha more freedom to learn in the comfort of her own home, whereas an in-person environment would cause her more stress. She explains that being in-person wouldn’t provide her the comfort to join discussions, whereas ANU’s Zoom sessions have given her that opportunity.

“I also think doing it online [with] the live lectures – the live lectures are actually my favorite part! Because the discussions – I get to hear everybody’s point of view about a topic about a certain topic so it makes me look at it in a way that I wouldn’t have looked at it before… I personally feel like I learn a lot more doing [classes] online than if I were doing it in a classroom.”

Samantha found the staff at ANU to be supportive of not only her journey but also her peers’ journeys at every turn. The Medical Assisting program chair, Carrie Rodriguez, is one of the first staff that made an impact on her. “She helps everybody. She’s just got a pure heart and she’s good in anything! If there’s ever any questions about anything – it could be something [that has] nothing to do with her – and she will help you in every way,” Samantha explains.

Additionally, Dr. Stephanie Denton has made a difference in her learning experience. “I absolutely love her!” Samantha begins, “she talks a lot, but she knows a lot about a lot. If she doesn’t know, she’s gonna look it up and tell you… She’s right there every bit of the way for everything that you’re doing. To me, that helped me learn a lot. She gave me a really good foundation to be able to be successful in [my] classes.” One of the highlights of ANU’s online experience is that it brings people from all over the country closer together. In Samantha’s time, she learned that Dr. Denton grew up not too far from where Samantha lives now. “After talking to her and getting to know her, I felt like I almost knew her on a personal level [because] we have a lot of friends in common, towns in common, and stories in common.”

Her future goals include working at the clinic where her husband goes for appointments. After that, she hopes to love working in the medical field as a medical assistant so she can possibly pursue a nursing degree later. “I have a friend who is a nurse practitioner – and in the town that I live in, there isn’t any clinics, so we would actually try to get a clinic here and have something at home,” she explains. “Already, doing all of this, I already know, I am far more passionate about it than I thought I would be. I thought I would just do it to hopefully to help others learn about LVAD and certain heart failure and challenges my husband has faced. I see myself continuing and continuing to grow my education in the healthcare field.”

Would she recommend ANU to others?

“I have actually already recommended ANU to a few people around here, that I’m trying to get them in,” she says. She has a friend who has been struggling with the financial aid portion of education. “The financial aid team at ANU was so easy to communicate with and helped handle things. That was my biggest thing I was worried about, and they made it so easy for me!”

Her advice to new students starting at ANU is: “Plan! Daily planners, plan, write out schedules… I am a mother to three stepchildren who live with me, I have a husband in end stage heart failure, I have nine rescue cats, I work a job, and I am a full time student. If you plan everything out, it will work just fine!”

The post Advocacy Leads to Passion appeared first on American National University.

Originally from Syria, Rama moved to the United States with her family in 2016, eager to build a better future. As a wife and mother, she wanted to earn a degree that would help her reach her career goals while balancing family life after having to put her education on pause during her pregnancy. Upon exploring different opportunities in the medical field, she came across American National University’s Medical Assisting associate degree program and knew it was the right fit for her. “One of [ANU’s] advisors really helped me. He directed me through the whole program… I told him about my situation that I have a baby, like my schedule is not always as I need it to be. He was like, ‘yeah, you can do morning classes! Or if that doesn’t work, you can do evening classes.’ And I was like, ‘okay, that’s amazing, that’s what I’m looking for!’” She explains. As Rama has always had her eyes on the medical field, this program allows her to get her foot into the door and earn more as she desires.

“I love the medical field. I’m so excited since I’m getting to the end of the degree because now we have hands-on stuff. We’re looking more into things in detail and I’m not just learning about the overall human body. We’re now doing blood pressure, we’re doing some injections – that gets me so excited! I always tell my husband, ‘oh my gosh, I have a lab kit coming! I’m so excited to see what’s in it!’”

With her excitement in her courses, Rama was also pleasantly surprised to learn that her lab kits were included in her tuition, and she didn’t have to pay out of pocket to obtain the material she needed to learn in her courses. “When I started the program, and the teacher told us. ‘yeah you have to send us the address and we’re sending [lab]kits.’ I was like, ‘are you sure I don’t have to pay anything?!’ And she was like, ‘no! This is through the program.’ I really appreciated that, it’s really helping me,” she describes with laughter. This is one of the main reasons she stayed with ANU, because she could get the hands-on training she wanted without having to leave her daughter or change her schedule.

Rama has really been grateful to learn from her professors’ previous work experiences. Because ANU has career trained professors and instructors leading their classes, students can benefit from real world experiences through instruction. “I love how they tell us these experiences, their experiences, because that’s what really sticks [in my] mind… if you heard it from someone else, then you’ll know how to react when it happens to you,” she says. In particular, Traci Dingle made an impact on Rama’s education through her engaging Zoom sessions in Ethics. “Her Zooms – I was always excited for it!” She smiles, “she made us all excited because we were all engaging in the [ethics] situation… I really, really enjoyed her class.” Additionally, Rama enjoyed Dr. Stephanie Denton in her Anatomy and Physiology course:

“She is super! I love her. She always tells us examples and made it so simple and easy to understand… She always tells us stories, she has a lot of experience that she shares with us.” She also explains that Stephanie made things easier for her as English isn’t her native language – “It’s sometimes hard to understand some grammar and some words that are new to [me], but she always makes it simple to understand.”

Within the next ten years, Rama hopes to spend as much time with her daughter as she can. She plans to stick with medical assisting for a while in order to evaluate her goals at every step of life. “I see myself working part-time and then continuing my education,” she explained.

Would she recommend ANU to others? She already has! “I recommended [ANU] to my sister… I was like ‘it’s 100% online and you can do things [hands-on]!’ That was like the most important things for me… The instructors are so, so, so good! They help out a lot.” She goes on to describe her experiences in other colleges before ANU. “I used to send an email and not get an answer. I used to send an email and get a late, late answer and that was when the due date was over… Whenever I text any of the instructors here [at ANU], they get back to me within 24 hours. I never get late, late replies or not helpful answers. I told [my sister] all of these things.” Her sister has since signed up for ANU and she’s “so happy and she’s excited for everything!”

Her advice to new ANU students: “Look at everything on Sundays. Sunday is the day where every [assignment] is there… I start early so I have time. I always get on Zoom [sessions], I never missed any Zoom. I ask questions if I didn’t understand the things going on – I can send a message privately if I don’t want the whole class knowing… Do your work on time, attend the Zoom, and go from there!” Rama emphasizes the importance of being active in Zoom sessions so that you can absorb all of the knowledge you need that may come up in later assignments, tests, and even within your career later on.

The post Excitement and Appreciation: Rama Alzamel’s Story with ANU appeared first on American National University.

Kalin Boyers (left), like many adults, had long dreamed of pursuing higher education. However, life’s demands—marriage, children, and work—led her to put that dream on hold. As her children grew more independent, Kalin finally found the perfect time to focus on her goals. After caring for a family member at home, she discovered her true passion: providing care and support, much like a nurse. When she learned about ANU’s Medical Assisting associate degree program, she knew it was the ideal steppingstone to her dream career. Through hard work and dedication, Kalin earned the title of Term Trailblazer for term 242, nominated by her professor, Dr. Stephanie Denton!

In Kalin’s quest to find the education she needs to reach her dreams of becoming an RN, she explains a struggle to find a program that not only fit her schedule as a working mother but was also accredited. “I found a place, I’m gonna enroll, they’re accredited, which is a big deal, because lots of places online don’t actually carry the proper accreditations and then you’re just wasting your time,” she says of her journey to find the right school.

“So when I found ANU I was like, ‘this is perfect! I can do this online. And then if I choose to go back to school after graduating, then I can continue moving online.’” 

She explains that attending ANU gives her the opportunity to attend her Zoom sessions and finish her assignments during the week, while working overnight as a patient care technician at her local hospital on the weekends. She says she “just get[s] in that habit every day, open it, look at it. It doesn’t matter if you spend 10 minutes or an hour, you gotta do something. So that’s been the-the biggest factor that has enabled me to stay on top of everything.”

When it comes to her class experiences, Kalin has enjoyed every minute. “I feel like it’s down to earth, it’s, you know, it’s achievable, it’s something that you don’t have to feel like you can’t just apply to because you don’t already carry four different degrees,” she explains. “You can start from scratch, you can go from zero to having that degree. You just have to want it, and I feel like they make it doable.” As she’s in our Medical Assisting associate degree program, Kalin thinks that her program is setting up a foundation for her that will last her whole career – even as she pursues her nursing degree later on. “I think that they’re setting up a really good learning foundation because if you don’t have even medical terminology walking into the hospital, that’s what they use… And so I think that they have done a really good job setting me up to make me feel comfortable around that environment.”

Her professors have been the shining stars for her in her education, however, bringing not only new knowledge for her to learn, but someone she can lean on for her education and beyond.

Dr. Stephanie Denton, the same professor who nominated her for her Term Trailblazer award, has been a professor she admires greatly. “She’s so smart. She knows so much stuff and she’s a jack of all trades. And so if there’s ever something that pops into my mind, she’s an open book to ask,” she says with a wide smile. “She had mentioned that later down the road looking for job opportunities, you can actually use your instructors as, professional referrals!”

Overall, she says that all of her professors “have truly been wonderful and really, that’s not just blowing smoke. That’s, that’s the, that’s the truth of it… I’ve been really happy with every single one of the professors and there has not been one where I’ve been like, ‘oh, I would not do that again’.”

Not only have her professors been wonderful, but Kalin feels immensely supported by the support staff she’s interacted with at ANU. She explains that student advisors always make sure to check in with their students. “If you are falling behind, they’ll reach out, they’ll call, they’ll email. So they’ve made themselves available… When I first was when I first started out, [my advisor] used to call me every week and she would check in just to make sure everything was ok if I had any questions or concerns.” Even in times of grief of losing someone close to her, her advisor was there to help her not only get the time she needed away, but to not fall behind in her classes. When she was in a heavy moment, she didn’t think she could handle being on camera during her Zoom session, and both her advisor and professors allowed her to sit it out without affecting her attendance grade. “And so they were like, ‘it’s ok, you don’t have to be on camera today’… reaching out to whoever needed to be reached out to so that way that I could be covered, and I wouldn’t miss anything. And that’s important with it being 40% of that grade.”

Her future goals include earning her nursing degree and becoming an RN. She explains that choosing her program now will help with that goal because “a lot of [classes] feed right into the nursing programs and it’s still relevant. It’s not just wasted credits and time.” Additionally, she hopes becoming a nurse will allow her to workday shifts rather than overnight shifts in her future, so she doesn’t have to sacrifice more time with her children and family.

Would she recommend ANU to other students? “Absolutely. And they make it easy!”

The post Support Every Step appeared first on American National University.

What are Associates in Medical Assisting?

An associate degree in medical assisting typically takes about two years to complete and is offered by many community colleges and technical schools. At American National University, our associates in medical assisting only takes about 20 months – possibly less if you have credits to transfer! This degree path is meant to give students the skills and knowledge necessary to perform both clinical and clerical work within a medical office or clinic, among many positions in the healthcare field. Students take courses in ethics, pharmacology, anatomy, and many more to get a broad understanding of the healthcare field and to work with patients they meet at every step of the way.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics explains some of the typical responsibilities of Medical Assistants in this list:

• Record medical history of patients through interview.
• Take vital signs like blood pressure, weight, and height, from patients.
• Assist physicians during examinations.
• Give patients injections, draw their blood, or give medications as directed by physicians.
• Schedule patient appointments.
• Collect specimens such as blood, urine, and others for laboratory tests.
• Maintain inventory of medical and office supplies.

Benefits of Earning Your Associate Degree in Medical Assisting

1. Comprehensive Education:

Unlike certificate programs, an associate degree gives you a deeper understanding of the field. On the clinical side, students learn invasive clinical procedures like drawing blood or administering injections, along with non-invasive procedures like urinalysis, nutrition for health and disease, and electrocardiography. On the clerical side, students will learn administrative tasks like medical billing, using electronic health records, telephone communication, and scheduling, all with office equipment usage.

2. Increased Job Opportunities:

Many employers prefer or even require medical assistants with an associate degree because it indicates a higher level of education and training. Earning your degree can make you a competitive candidate. Not only that, but you could find work in diverse healthcare environments, including, but not limited to, hospitals, outpatient clinics, private practices, and more. From the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the “employment of medical assistants is projected to grow 14 percent from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations.” Along with that, as the Boomer generation ages, not only will medical assistants of their age group retire, but there will also be a greater need for medical professionals to take care of such a large generation of aging individuals.

3. Certification:

In many associate degree programs, students prepare to sit for certification exams. At ANU, students take the CPR exam through the American Red Cross, the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) exam, the Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPTC) exam, and the Certified EKG Technician (CET) exam as part of their classes.

4. A Pathway to Further Education:

An associate degree can be a steppingstone to higher education, like bachelor’s programs in the medical field. Many ANU medical assisting students find that they want to become registered nurses after working in the field, and others move on to our Medical and Health Services Management program to become managers in the healthcare field. An associate degree provides a solid foundation for pursuing more advanced roles in healthcare – saving you time and money in the long run.

Earning an associates in medical assisting can open doors to a rewarding career with numerous opportunities for growth and advancement. While it requires commitment, the benefits of comprehensive education, increased job opportunities, and preparation for certification make it worthwhile for many aspiring medical assistants. Evaluate your goals and resources to make an informed decision about your educational path. With ANU, you can earn your degree faster and for less than other institutions. Go to an.edu to learn more.

American National University – Be live, in class, from anywhere.

The post Associates in Medical Assisting – Is It Worth It? appeared first on American National University.

Why Effective Communication is Important

• Builds Rapport: Building rapport with patients is imperative to their comfort and willingness to work with you. Not only that but having a good rapport with other healthcare professionals will allow you to help your patient more by having established relationships with other points of care.
• Ensures Patient Safety: Getting the information from the patient to other professionals effectively will reduce the harm that can come to the patient. Not being able to communicate at any point in the system can lead to medical errors.
• Collaboration with a Team: Healthcare is not solely doctors and patients. It’s medical assistants, nurses, doctors, patients, pharmacists, insurance companies, and more. To work as a well-oiled machine, the whole team needs to communicate well to ensure patient care.
• Sensitive Information: More often than not, those in the healthcare field deal with sensitive information – whether that’s diagnoses, emotional and social situations, or family issues. Effective communication can help professionals navigate these situations and keep the integrity and well-being of the patient intact.
• Accurate Diagnosis and Treatment: Any miscommunication can mean a misdiagnosis and treatment. And this could not only cause the patient to lose trust in you and your team but have bad side effects and/or harm them.

How to Communicate Effectively

There are several different ways to help you communicate effectively with patients, healthcare professionals, and even those outside of your career. Here are some tips to help you successfully communicate with others.

1. Practice Active Listening: Active listening is the foundation of effective communication. When patients express their symptoms or concerns, give them your full attention. Avoid distractions such as phone notifications or side conversations. Reflect back on what patients say to demonstrate understanding and validate their experiences. Clarify any ambiguous points by asking open-ended questions. A great hint to any conversation – listen to people to simply listen, not to respond. If you listen to respond, you will only grab onto the points that already support your preconceptions rather than truly hearing the other person.
2. Use Plain Language: This is important for patients and others, like their families, that are not in the healthcare field. Medical jargon can be intimidating and confusing for patients. As a medical assistant, you should strive to communicate so that patients can easily understand. Avoid using technical terms unless necessary, and instead, explain concepts in simple, everyday language. Use analogies or visual aids to clarify complex medical information. Be open to questions and be ready to clarify when patients may not understand.
3. Maintain Open Lines of Communication: This is imperative when you are speaking with other healthcare professionals on behalf of a patient. Maintain open lines of communication with nurses, physicians, and other members of the healthcare team. Share relevant patient information accurately and promptly and be receptive to feedback and suggestions for improvement. You should not only be open and honest, but you should also trust your coworkers will do the same with you.
4. Provide Clear Instructions: Again, for many patients and their families, medical terms and instructions can be a maze of confusion. When giving instructions to patients regarding medications, treatments, or follow-up care, be clear and concise. Break down information into manageable steps and repeat important details to ensure comprehension. Use written instructions or patient education materials whenever possible to reinforce verbal communication. Encourage patients to ask questions and seek clarification if needed, whether from you or any other provider.
5. Handle Sensitive Conversations Empathetically: At times, medical assistants may need to engage in difficult conversations, such as delivering unwelcome news or addressing patient concerns about cost or insurance coverage. You should handle these conversations with empathy – think about how you would deliver this news if you were giving it to a family member or friend. Approach these conversations with sensitivity and professionalism. Listen empathetically to patients’ emotions and concerns and offer support and reassurance where appropriate.
6. Continue to Build Your Communication Skills: Like with any skill, communication needs constant practice in order to keep your skills sharp. Seek opportunities for professional development, such as communication workshops or courses. Solicit feedback from patients, colleagues, and supervisors to identify areas for improvement. Reflect on your communication practices regularly and adapt them to meet the evolving needs of patients and the healthcare team.

Mastering effective communication is an ongoing journey and a fundamental aspect of being a proficient medical assistant. In healthcare, it is more than just conveying information – it’s about building relationships, fostering trust, and providing compassionate care. Medical assistants affect the lives of patients in several different healthcare settings – and you can be one of those professionals. Go to an.edu to learn more about how you can become a medical assistant through one of our online programs.

American National University – Be live, in class, from anywhere.

The post Effective Communication is Important to Patient Care appeared first on American National University.

Harley Odom’s journey into the field of Medical Assisting was sparked by her deep compassion for the most vulnerable members of our society – elders in need of care. Her decision to pursue an associate degree in Medical Assisting at American National University stems from a heartfelt desire to make a difference, fueled by the regret of not being able to do more for her grandmother at the end of her life. Harley envisions a future where she can provide compassionate support to others in their final moments, ensuring that no one feels alone. Motivated by creating a better future and example for her young son, Harley has consistently excelled in her educational pursuits, maintaining a remarkable record of straight A’s, and earning the title of Term Trailblazer for Term 238!

When Harley donated plasma, she couldn’t help but notice how much the nurses and phlebotomists enjoyed their jobs. Inspired by their eagerness for their careers, Harley looked into becoming a phlebotomist. However, when speaking to an admissions representative for ANU, she learned that becoming a Medical Assistant could help her reach the goals she has always wanted to achieve.

“I actually applied to two or three different colleges, and [ANU was] the first one to answer back,” she explains, “within two weeks I was in class!”

She explains that she has stuck with ANU and her education more than she has with other things in her life, determined to finish her education and join her dream career. “I said ‘I am going to finish this!’ There is nothing going to bring me down!” She enthuses.

Compared to previous college experiences she’s had, Harley loves being online as opposed to being on campus. “I love online – the online learning is like the best thing I’ve ever seen in my life!” She says. She explains that on days she feels like she’s running behind, she can still make it to class because it’s accessible to her home and flexible with her schedule. “It makes it so accessible for my son, because I can’t take him into [in-person] class with me.” With ANU, she can take her classes all from home and not have to worry about childcare. She can take her classes while with her son and still earn the education she needs to succeed.

Harley feels like her professors are preparing her for all the skills she’ll need as a medical assistant. “All of my instructors have been super helpful and knowledgeable about the subjects they teach,” she explains. One of her favorite classes was Medical Terminology, which she explains gave her the foundation which her education will build on. Professor Abigal Chelstowski was the instructor of that course and Harley “absolutely loved her kinesthetic teaching style, she definitely keeps the class awake with her examples. I love her!” She goes on to explain that anytime she’s had a problem or needed help, she’s always received it at ANU. “Anytime you have a problem, you can contact administration of any sorts and they will get back to you within 24 hours,” she says, “because of me being online, I can’t just walk into an office and say, ‘hey, I need help with this.’ I message and wait for a response!”

Despite being on the journey towards graduation, Harley has wasted no time in putting her acquired skills and knowledge into practice. Her enthusiasm for learning was evident during her CPR class, where she not only received a CPR kit but also found great enjoyment in the learning process. What truly stands out is her ability to apply her newfound expertise in real-life situations. Recently, she utilized her CPR training to save her own son from choking, showcasing her quick thinking and readiness to act when it matters most.

“He swallowed something right in front of me and my instincts kicked in. I did exactly what my training was… It is the best detailed class I’ve ever done! They show you exactly where your hand placement is, how long you should do it, what you’re looking for… it’s amazing!”

Her future goals include working with the elderly and assisted living care. She also has considered working in hospice. She has these goals to be there for those who may not have anyone else at the end of their lives. She has even considered continuing her education, “after I get this degree, I might continue and go for another one!”

Harley has already recommended ANU to those around her. “It’s just amazing, the teachers are amazing, the schoolwork is amazing,” she gushes. “ANU hasn’t made any mistakes in my eyes. I wouldn’t choose another college.”

Her advice for future ANU students: “Motivation and a good support system will get you through it… Don’t rely on other people for their comments or their praise because you’ll be waiting forever,” she explains. She also holds onto advice she received from her late grandmother: “It won’t be as long as it has been.”

The post It Won’t Be As Long As It Has Been appeared first on American National University.

After dealing with some personal matters, Vanessa Barbee wanted to earn her education to better her future for herself and her three children. Before her time in the Medical Assisting program at American National University, Vanessa attended the Surgical Technician program when we were still known as National College. With her previous experience, she knew that our approach to education would fit her life and needs. Since her graduation with her associate degree in 2019, Vanessa has found success in many different jobs within her medical assisting career.

When Vanessa attended her medical assisting program at ANU, she attended campus in Lexington, Kentucky. She was part of some of the last few programs that attended on campus before we moved to mainly online programs. When she first attended ANU, she chose us because, compared to other schools she attended, we had smaller class sizes and more personalized attention.

“When I looked into ANU, I was like ‘this is a much smaller school,’ and the price was not even half of what [another institution] would cost.”

Along with that, she enjoyed how welcoming and kind the staff and faculty were to her even when she was just applying, “it felt homey!”

Her experience with her classes has given her skills and knowledge she uses every day in her career now. She fondly remembers a time when one of her professors encouraged her to go around campus to take other students’ blood pressure. Or practicing on medical dummies under the watch of her professors. And during her time there, her professors would set up their classrooms to emulate a doctor’s office of an emergency room so students could practice in the environment they could potentially work in – with all of the items they would need to do their jobs. “[My professor] would have us pretend we were rooming a patient. So we would have to call each other by name and pretend to take them to the exam room.  [We had to] go over all of their medical history, we had to practice all of the skills, blood draws, blood pressure – we had to do the whole visit.” She says having that experience has stuck with her for her entire career.

Vanessa explains that when she was in a management-like position in one of her jobs, she would show new medical assistants the skills she learned at ANU to better their job performance. “I would be like, ‘well in school, this is how I learned it, from my teachers who are also medical assistants, so this is how I’m going to teach you.’” She says she does this even to this day, passing on the knowledge her own career-experienced professors gave her. She says that her professors had influence in their local area to send students to shadow at several different medical offices so they can see what it was like to work in the field and what specialties she wanted to work in upon graduation. Vanessa shadowed in allergy offices, primary care offices, and even a gastroenterologist office.

While in the externship at an urgent care for her associate degree program, Vanessa was offered a full-time position before she even finished her externship. The skills and knowledge she learned at ANU made her an asset to that office and secured her a position. “Before I completed my externship, I was offered a position, when I had three weeks left… they said, ‘you know what, Vanessa, you are doing really good with the patients, you learn fast, you know your stuff, how about a position here with us?’ And I said yes, absolutely!”

Her future goals include earning her bachelor’s degree in medical health management. She wants to one day run her own office and be integral to every point – from the hiring, staff retention and discipline, and more as expected from a manager.

“I would definitely recommend ANU!” Vanessa says.

Her advice to new students: “Do not give up! Think about how far you’ve come, even just by enrolling – that’s a huge step!”

The post Moving Forward in Her Career appeared first on American National University.

Shelby Ritchie’s Story with ANU

Shelby Ritchie has high goals of becoming a doctor to achieve the dreams her mother desired but never could. While striving for that goal, Shelby wants to break into the medical field, but earn money while she does so to support her family. Medical Assisting at American National University was her breakthrough the field that she needed, and her dreams have already brought her success! She earned the title of Medical Assisting Student of the Term for term 230 – and breaks through her new career after graduating in the June 2023 graduation ceremony.

When issues arose around her first steps into college, Shelby wanted to get in another institution quickly to not disrupt her education. Stuck between ANU and another school, she chose American National because “the [admissions representative] I was talking to seemed so nice, and the school seemed really nice!” Not only that, but ANU’s tuition rates were better for her. “The amount that [ANU] cost was lower, but it had more schooling for you. Also, it was completely online, where [other institution], once a week I’d have to go and meet a teacher that was out of the way that I could never reach.”

Following her graduation, Shelby has earned a job at a dialysis center due to her externship experience there. Some of the skills she learned in her classes are helping her in her new job. “Interacting with the patients, following the HIPAA laws, and taking the normal vital signs definitely helped me prepare for the externship,” she said.

Shelby’s overall experience at ANU has been good – but the shining stars were her instructors and professors.

“The teachers were not only really kind and not only taught you what they were supposed to, but a lot of them were medical assistants so they’ll give you their experience that they had,” she said, “which helps you a lot more to put it into perspective rather than just learning it and not knowing how to use it later on.”

She explained that near the end of her program, her professors were trying to prepare her and her classmates for their careers that they were about to embark on. “The teachers definitely tried to step up and prepare you in all ways possible, which really, really helped!”

With our High Tech, High Touch education, Shelby got hands on education with our at-home lab kits. Not only that, but our small class sizes mean that she got the personalized attention she needed to succeed. “We would sit in front of [our instructor], and it was only me and one other student, so the teacher could watch us straight on. We had our cameras on the arm. And somehow she managed to watch the both of us at the same time,” she described. “I did something wrong once, and she said, ‘oh no, Shelby, that’s not how you do that,’ while the other student is also doing it… Which this did help me because she also had her phlebotomy arm and was showing us how to properly do it.”

Shelby’s future goals include spending a few years gaining experience as a medical assistant. She wants to do this to explore her options to see which field would interest her most as a doctor in her future.

On recommending ANU to others, Shelby would to those looking to earn their higher education. She said, “not only the flexibility, but the teachers that do it hands on with you really help you learn.”

Her advice to new students at ANU: “Read the textbook! I do not like reading to learn… but it definitely helps with remembering things later on.”

The post Great Aspirations appeared first on American National University.

Camiel Finger’s Story with ANU

Current Medical Assisting program student, Camiel Finger, is earning her education at American National University not only for herself, but to better the life of her son and to excel in her career. Loyal to her clinic, coworkers, and physician, Camiel travels over an hour and a half to get to work and has fast-tracked her education at ANU to graduate sooner so that she can rise in her career. Despite having work with a long commute, a son, and extra class loads, Camiel has consistently kept high grades and success throughout her educational journey.

Upon the insistence of her friend, Camiel found ANU and joined our ranks as it fit well with her son’s schedule – and she never looked back! Her professors have helped her a lot and are setting her up for success in her career. Professors Paula DeVore, Laura Diggle, and Abigail Chelstowski are some of the instructors Camiel named as being influential to her time at ANU. “[They] really have put a passion into their students, the work, and really show [we] can do these things.” She goes on to describe how her seven-year-old son will sit with her to listen in on her classes, and Paula DeVore even went out of her way to answer questions that he asked. “Every class, she’d be like ‘where’s my buddy?’. She involved him! Those are the teachers [I] appreciate.”

ANU’s shining faculty and staff have helped Camiel navigate through a lot of her education. Her student services advisor, Mary Oxenrider, has made her journey to graduation much easier. “She goes above and beyond, and she takes on so much in her heart. I really believe she is one of the best student advisors [ANU has].” Mary reaches out to Camiel to check in on her, and makes sure she has everything she needs in order to achieve her educational goals. “She really has made a difference.”

After she graduates from our Medical Assisting program, Camiel hopes to move up in her career at Integris Baptist Hospital. She will be going for her nursing degree in August. “Hopefully in ten years, I can reach back out to [ANU] and say ‘look! I did it!’. Because it all starts here, [ANU] is the first step.”

Camiel recommends ANU to those looking to earn their higher education. “[ANU] would be a good school for students to go to, because it really has worked the best with my schedule, and I think [Medical Assisting] is a good program.”

Her advice for new students at ANU: “Work hard, go for it. Don’t give up on your dream just because it gets difficult. I’m a mom to a seven-year-old and I work in a specialty clinic that requires a lot of focus… push through it, climb these mountains, because when you get through this and say ‘I graduated,’ it’s going to be the best thing for your life.”

The post Working on Her Dream: Camiel Finger’s Story with ANU appeared first on American National University.