SYLVA, N.C. – One day last fall, Jessica Bradley started feeling uncharacteristically ill while on the job as a Medical Assisting Instructor at Southwestern Community College.
Jessica Bradley, left, SCC’s Medical Assisting Program coordinator, is shown here with program graduates, from left: Brianna Allan of Franklin, Kimberly Welvin of Franklin, Michael Grooms of Waynesville, Katherine Sumrell Tallent of Franklin, and Destiny Hall of Cherokee. (SCC photo)
When she called the Cherokee Indian Hospital to set up an appointment, the receptionist began to detect a heightened sense of urgency both from Bradley’s tone of voice and symptoms – so she found Bradley an even earlier appointment.
It turns out the receptionist, Destiny Hall of Cherokee, was one of Bradley’s students at SCC – and Bradley now credits Hall with saving her life. Hall’s official title at the hospital is Case Management Support.
“If I hadn’t gone to that earlier appointment, I could have easily died,” said Bradley, who was diagnosed later that day with Hidradenitis suppurativa that had gone septic in her system.
On May 6, Hall was honored alongside four classmates at a pinning ceremony for SCC’s Medical Assisting program. Graduating along with Hall are Brianna Allan of Franklin, Michael Grooms of Waynesville, Katherine Sumrell Tallent of Franklin and Kimberly Welvin of Franklin.
A Medical Assistant is essentially a “jack of all trades” who works in physician’s offices or hospitals. Medical Assistants handle a wide range of responsibilities including scheduling appointments, insurance verification and patient care such as drawing blood and performing patient testing.
“I have complete and total confidence that all five of these individuals are fully prepared to provide patient care and succeed in our profession,” Bradley said. “As a healthcare instructor, it’s rare that I get a real-world opportunity to experience what it’s like to be provided care from one of my own students. After seeing how Destiny handled my personal heath scare, I’m not only thankful to her – I’m also assured that anyone who falls under the care of these graduates will receive the best possible care.”
For more information about the Medical Assisting program at Southwestern, contact Bradley (828.339.4392 or j_moody@SouthwesternCC.edu) or Pamela Judson, SCC’s Director of Pre-Health Sciences (828.339.4198 or pjudson@SouthwesternCC.edu).
- Southwestern Community College release