Fourth class of students enter Briya PCS' Medical Assistant Program
Originally published by Briya PCS
Twenty-four new students were inducted into Briya’s Medical Assistant Program during a ceremony this fall.
Gina Pistulka, Briya instructor, welcomed everyone and spoke to the incoming students about the vital work they will do as medical assistants.
“You are the face of the healthcare team,” Pistulka said. “You are the one the patient will meet first. You are the one who will start to create the environment in which a person begins to heal.”
“You and the students who have come before you are some of the most inspirational people I have met,” she added. “You have already shown your strength and your persistence in moving your life forward and accepting challenges that will bring you and your families to a brighter place.”
A 2016 MA Program graduate, Lahana Bernard, then spoke to the class about her time in the 15-month program, which prepares students to work alongside doctors and nurses.
“I feel very prepared and confident,” she said. “I have gained a lot of knowledge and skills from this program, which will enable me to have a career–not just a job.”
Bernard also spoke about her positive experience with her teachers and classmates at Briya.
“The instructors here are the best,” she said. “They really care and will work with you to make sure you understand the content. As students … we were all one big family. Students bonded and supported each other through tough personal and family issues and losses.”
After hearing from Pistulka and Bernard, each incoming student received a medical assistant pin from a program graduate. The new students then recited the medical assistant creed, officially becoming Briya’s MA class of 2017.
The new class left the ceremony with words of inspiration offered by Bernard.
“The program gave me a light at the end of the tunnel,” she said. “My advice to you all is when times are hard and you feel like you’ve hit a wall, don’t give up. Think about why you’re doing the program … and let that be your motivation.”
Twenty-four new students were inducted into Briya’s Medical Assistant Program during a ceremony this fall.