About

A Positive Example

Christi McSwain had been working as an office manager in the automotive industry for several years, but decided she wanted a change. “I’m a people person,” she explained. “I’m not a sit-down-at-a-desk person.”

She enrolled at National College’s Knoxville Campus in the medical assisting program, where she enjoyed the small class sizes and individual attention she was able to get from her instructors. The extra support she received was a big help to the wife and mother of two young girls. “They both knew that when mommy was studying, the kitchen was out of bounds,” she said. “I had to stay up sometimes and [study] when they were asleep.” But even at the tender age of seven, her older daughter understood the importance of what her mother was doing. “It meant a lot to her to see me graduate,” Christi said with pride in her voice.

…knowing that I helped them in maybe the smallest way means a lot to me

In her work as one of three medical assistants for a thriving internal medicine practice, Christi is driven to help her patients. “Speaking for myself, I’ve had bad [experiences] in the past,” she admitted. “I took that and, you know, I never want to be that way.” Christi continued, “You have to have a compassion…to be in the medical field; if you don’t, then you’re in the wrong profession.”

Indeed, she derives her greatest satisfaction from her patients. “I love being able to help when someone [doesn’t] feel well; knowing that I helped them in maybe the smallest way means a lot to me.”