Sometimes sister does know best.
Brenda Gonzalez had gone to a four-year school. She had a job tutoring young kids. But she still wasn’t excited by what she was doing.
“My sister knew I was fresh out of college and I wasn’t really happy with my career, so she told me about medical assisting,” Gonzalez said.
Her sister had recently graduated from American Career College-Long Beach’s medical billing and coding program and was hired directly from her externship.
“She did great so she inspired me to come here,” Gonzalez said. “I felt like I needed a more hands-on job and I found that through medical assisting. I want to better the healthcare system. I want to make sure every patient is happy and give the best care that’s possible.”
Gonzalez credits the faculty and staff at ACC-Long Beach for helping guide her through school and says they continue to help — at work and in life — even after she graduated.
"(ACC faculty) Grace Ann Clark is the best. She has helped me so much. There has never been a day at the office where something she has taught me hasn’t been relevant. Everything she does for you is for your own good. And she also disciplined me to be here every day. I’ve been an honor roll student, I was Student of the Module and was actually a student ambassador, and that’s only because I know she pushed me because she knew I could do better," Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez is now working at a pediatric clinic but still visits the Long Beach campus occasionally to talk and swap new medical techniques with the staff. This December she stopped by to have lunch with the Inspire Club and share some good news too.
"This last Saturday, I got certified," Gonzalez said. "That’s a big step for me because I just finished my externship, so I feel like from the beginning of this last year, I started off where I thought I wasn’t going anywhere and now I’m already certified — so it gets me excited."
