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Ready Willing, and Able

“Graduation is May the 30th, at 6:30 p.m.,” recited Bristol Campus student Melissa Lester when we caught up with her during her medical assisting externship this spring. “You can tell I’m ready!”

For many students, especially in medical programs, the externship is the culmination of many hours of study and hard work. It’s a chance to put their classroom skills in practice in a real-world setting. “I’ve been drawing blood, giving injections, getting patients ready for the DOT physicals, drug screens,” Melissa said.

For Melissa, National College offered just what she needed. “I had been in the medical field years ago, and I was wanting to get back into it, but it had been 18 years since I had been in school,” she explained. At National, she found that not only could she attend classes according to her schedule, she could benefit from smaller class sizes that really allowed her to bond with her instructors.

I work with a wonderful group of doctors and I couldn't be happier.

Two in particular Melissa singled out for special praise: (current) Campus Director Debbie Bowman (a former instructor and recipient of the College’s Distinguished Teaching Award) and Director of Health Care Education Sheri Jessee. ”Because of both of them, I would actually like to go into teaching at National…later on,” Melissa says.

Graduation has come and gone, and Melissa completed her externship with flying colors. “I have taken a job with Urology Associates of Kingsport,” Melissa recently reported. “I work with a wonderful group of doctors and I couldn't be happier.” Neither could we!