Ric Perez
I am 30 years old and am back in college for the second time. The first time I graduated in 1993 with an associates degree in Fire Science. You see at one time I wanted to be a fire fighter, but for various reasons that did not work out. So, I did a little first responder teaching(CPR, first aid, earthquake preparedness...) for a couple of years but the training center I worked for closed.
My next idea was to get some real first hand experience at patient care: Emergency Medical Technician. Since I earned the certificate as part of my degree, I decided to put it to some practical use. After a couple of years of that however, I began to desire a longer term patient care setting. I got a job at UCSF Medical Center as a Patient Care Assistant(nursing assistant). This job was great because it exposed me to a lot of different aspects of the health care industry. And, it was there that I decided I needed a change.
Respiratory Therapy was my calling. I had seen the RT's do there work on my floor at the hospital and what they did really inspired me. I knew I did not want to become a nurse and respiratory therapy offered me the capabilities to converse technically with a doctor about a patients condition, and at the same time, deliver care with compassion and understanding in terms the patient can relate to and feel comfortable with. Working now as a phlebotomist, I am able to utilize technical skills that will help me in the future. Becoming a respiratory therapist will solidify my academic work with my professional experience.