Welcome back to the Joust About Careers podcast! I’m your host, Brian Bratt, and this week’s guest is medical assistant and 2010 Van Buren graduate Katelyn DeVore. In this episode, Katelyn shares how she became a medical assistant after working for ten years in another field, how perseverance has been invaluable on her journey to becoming a medical assistant, what she values most about her career, and much more. Whether you are interested in a career as a medical assistant or still exploring your options, I hope that what Katelyn shares today will help all of you make better career decisions and have fulfilling career journeys. Enjoy the show!1:08 - How a typical day looks for a medical assistant.3:50 - Katelyn works in a hospital.4:50 - When Katelyn graduated, she spent one year at BGSU but received her medical assisting certification through Blanchard Valley Health Center.5:58 - Working in housekeeping at the hospital for six months led to this opportunity.6:55 - Becoming a medical assistant required learning, but it was worth it.7:36 - Medical assistants are in high demand.7:55 - The training requires both classroom work and hands-on training.10:00 - Care coordinators, medical assisting, and other career opportunities are available, and Blanchard Valley offers many growth opportunities.11:40 - Certification vs. On-the-Job Training12:55 - Opportunities for advancement and tuition reimbursement13:30 - Katelyn felt she was in over her head when she started, but she is more comfortable now.14:40 - Katelyn works with multiple healthcare professionals daily.16:39 - The best parts of being a medical assistant.18:37 - The challenges of being a medical assistant.23:14 - Katelyn’s advice - take school seriously.Questions?Connect with Katelyn on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/katelyn-devore-37640a344/) or reach out to me for her email.Connect with Brian on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/brian-bratt/) or e-mail (bbratt@vbschools.net).
