skip to main content

Blog / Alumni November 11, 2015

ACC Graduate Spotlight: Steven Haddicks

November 11, 2015

As a combat veteran, Steven Haddicks doesn’t like to back down from a challenge.

After 10 years in the Marines, including tours in Iraq and Afghanistan as a machine gunner and two years at Marine Corps Base Quantico as an instructor, Haddicks decided to work in the medical field.

“Everybody loves machine guns, but they don’t like carrying them,” Haddicks said with a smile. “They’re pretty heavy.”

A lifelong asthma sufferer, Haddicks originally intended to sign up for American Career College's Respiratory Therapy program in Orange County. He figured his personal experience would help him connect with patients and make him a better RT. But then his academic advisor mentioned that surgical technology was one of the hardest programs — if not the hardest — at ACC.

“So I said, ‘Absolutely, I’m going to go for that one,” he said.

After competing his classes, Haddicks externed at the VA Long Beach where he will start working full-time in the operating room by the end of 2015.

“It’s not just about passing instruments," he said. "You definitely need to put time and effort into this program and it will show when you go out to clinicals. It will definitely show if you’re paying attention, if you’re learning fast and if you have what it takes when trouble kind of brews up in the operating room — if you can handle it in a calm manner and defuse the situation by your critical thinking and by how you set up for your case.”

Back to News

Take the first step toward your new career today.

By clicking above, I consent to receive calls, emails and/or text messages** by a college representative with information for educational opportunities at the number(s) provided above. understand calls may be initiated by an automated telephone dialing system. I need not grant this consent to receive information or to be eligible to enroll with ACC. I understand that I am not required to provide consent as a condition of any purchase. I also understand that I may revoke my consent at any time in accordance with ACC's Opt-Out Disclaimer. All information provided is subject to ACC's Privacy Policy. (**Standard rates may apply.) Disclaimer I understand that if I no longer wish to receive text messages from ACC, I may revoke my consent at any time by texting back "Stop" to unsubscribe from the service. I understand that if I no longer wish to receive emails, I may revoke my consent at any time by clicking the "Unsubscribe" link within any email I receive from ACC. I understand I may revoke my consent to receive calls by informing any ACC associate calling me that I no longer want to receive calls from ACC.

*Required

Connect with us!

Voted Best Career College in the 2023 Inland Valley Daily Bulletin Readers Choice Awards

Ontario Campus: Voted Best Career College in the 2023 Inland Valley Daily Bulletin Readers Choice Awards.

Voted Best Career College in the 2023 LA Daily News Readers Choice Awards.

LA Campus: Voted Best Career College in the 2023 LA Daily News Readers Choice Awards.

Voted Favorite Career College in the 2023 San Gabriel Valley Tribune Readers Choice Awards.

OC Campus: Voted Favorite Career College in the 2023 San Gabriel Valley Tribune Readers Choice Awards.

Scroll to the top
Call Us