My name is Corynne Ramaker I have an AS in social and behavioral science before I pursued my COTA at CBD. I worked for a city as well as school districts for years which introduced me to occupational therapy and made me fall in love. When searching for schools, I was able to visit and talk to administration and CBD felt the most welcoming and that they genuinely cared and that&/blog/category/graduate-spotlight/feed/8217;s why I chose to attend.

Currently, I work in a mental health setting where I am able to engage with patients that may currently be in psychosis, going through substance abuse and other mental illnesses. I facilitate group recreation therapy sessions to reduce anxiety, curate coping skills, express negative emotions, regulate maladaptive behaviors, etc.

Most interesting AND the most fulfilled part of my job are the patients. I get to meet people from all walks of life from age 13 to 99. Building rapport and supporting them in some of their darkest times is the most rewarding thing.

My most memorable moment from CBD is hard to choose. My cohort was the covid lock down cohort so we had to improvise on how we can present projects and make our education work (HUGE thank you to our professors for that). Going through the pandemic and being able to make it to the end with my cohort is the best memory.

I have many incredible people in my life that push me to be better. My family and friends are huge influences on my life. In the OT field, honestly, the professors I&/blog/category/graduate-spotlight/feed/8217;ve met at CBD I look up to so much, and still do. They supported me and have inspired me to be the best clinician I can be. Dr. Kokesh and Ms. Park have been the most wonderful teachers. I could name every single professor as well, they all hold a special place in my heart as I continue to grow and accomplish my goals in healthcare, I remember their energy

I feel amazing! I feel like there is SO much more and this is just the beginning. I absolutely love mental health but my long term goal is to get into acute care. I want to help as many people as I possibly can.

Students should know that all of the work you are given, will come in handy. Every single thing that I&/blog/category/graduate-spotlight/feed/8217;ve learned has shaped my into a well rounded COTA with the confidence to excel in any setting.

My advice would be to be open minded, go for your dream setting but you might actually love a different one. You will find a job and you will make an impact.

Interested in becoming an Occupational Therapy Assistant? We’re here to help you start your successful career in healthcare. Don’t wait any longer! Give us a call at (213) 427-2200 or visit our Occupational Therapy Assistant page to schedule a tour today!

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Tell us more about yourself, your background and what brought you to 51�Թ�.

My name is Rey PJ Celiz and I am one of the most recent graduates from the DMS program at 51�Թ�. I am an RVT as well as an RDMS both in Abdomen and OB/GYN. I sat and passed both Abdomen and OB/GYN registries sixty days before I completed my externship, and became an RVT a week before our graduation last month. I have always wanted to be in the healthcare industry since I was kid but I didn’t know which specific field I wanted to be in. So when a friend of mine, who works as a Rad Tech at Kaiser Permanente, told me about sonography, I researched it and was fascinated by its wide scope – abdomen, small parts, obstetrics and gynecology, vascular, echo, MSK, etc. I decided to go to 51�Թ� because it is the only CAAHEP-accredited school in Los Angeles which is very important when deciding to get into the field of sonography.

What were the most useful classes you took?  The  most fun?

All of the major classes which include Ultrasound Physics, Abdominal and Small Parts, OB/GYN and Vascular Sonography as well as patient care classes were very useful. I really enjoyed both Abdomen and Vascular classes because my instructors were great. They made learning enjoyable and easy to understand which is crucial for someone like me who does not have prior experience in the medical field.

Tell us about the clinical portion of your experience.

I did my clinical externship at Adventist Health White Memorial which is a teaching hospital and a level II trauma center near Downtown Los Angeles. Lionel, who is the lead sonographer at White, believes that the best way for students to learn is by performing the exams like an actual ultrasound tech – from reviewing the patient’s clinical history to setting up the room, interacting with the patient, performing the exam and writing the preliminary report. In fact, I was scanning and performing exams on my own on my first week. At White, I have learned and performed various ultrasound-related diagnostic procedures which include abdominal, obstetrics and gynecology, small parts, MSK, fetal head and vascular studies as well as ultrasound-guided exams for all patients ranging from ER, inpatient, outpatient, ICU, labor and delivery, pediatrics, acute and sub-acute units. I am blessed to have learned all of these from the amazing sonographers, whom I consider my mentors, at White Memorial.

Tell us about your current job/opportunities.

I was recently hired as an Ultrasound Technologist at a 369-bed hospital in South LA. I thank Alex, our program director, and Debi and Patty, sonographers at White, for letting me practice before coming in for my panel and scanning interviews. I will be starting later this month and I am very excited for this opportunity where I can apply all the knowledge and techniques I have learned from both school and my externship site and further develop my skills as a registered sonographer.

How did 51�Թ� prepare you for your current career?

CBD helped me by being CAAHEP-accredited. This means that it went through and passed a rigorous process to assess the program’s quality of education and compliance to industry standards. These assessments are conducted on an ongoing basis and CBD has consistently met the standards, which assures that its students are prepared and become successful as they enter their chosen health care field. This, along with the excellent instructors at CBD and my extensive clinical training at White, have surely prepared me for my new job.

If I choose 51�Թ� as a student, what advice do you have for my time here?

My advice is to study hard and take advantage of all the services CBD has to offer. When the going gets tough, always go back to the reason why you entered your respective program in the first place. With the right intentions, everything will go smoothly and accordingly. Also, become registered in at least one specialty as soon as you can while continuously honing your scanning skills. This will not only look good on your resume but it will also help you stand out from other new grads, which will help you land that first job. Good luck!

The post Graduate Spotlight &/blog/category/graduate-spotlight/feed/8211; Rey PJ Celiz &/blog/category/graduate-spotlight/feed/8211; Diagnostic Medical Sonography appeared first on 51�Թ�.

Tell us about yourself and your background and what brought you to 51�Թ�.

I worked a lot of labor jobs with a lot of hours.  I got to the point where I said to myself “Either you do something about it or you keep living the same life you’re living.”  After finding out that my wife’s sister attended 51�Թ�, I turned in my two weeks. I came, met with Jim, and they gave me the whole rundown about earning my high school diploma first.  I ended up taking a whole tour of CBD.

I would go home, stay up until 3 in the morning, then I’d go to school &/blog/category/graduate-spotlight/feed/8211; I’d be here right before they opened.   I’d be at the computer until they closed, then I’d go back home and study.  It was hard to come into the medical field without a medical background.  I struggled a little bit, but I’d stay here and practice my technique.   It’s just something I wanted to be good at.  I’d come in on Fridays just to practice by myself.

I went into clinicals and worked my butt off.  They said do 8 hours, and I’d do 12 hours.  Eventually, I got hired from my clinical site.

Tell us about your current job:

It’s great!  We cover pretty much all the spine cases throughout the Valley.  So I’m working with the same surgeons consistently. We bring in the trays and the implants.  So I’m not just a surgical tech, but a sales rep as well.  It’s a cool journey.

What do you find the most interesting about your position currently?

Everything!  You know how the body works, reading people, networking &/blog/category/graduate-spotlight/feed/8211; you meet so many different people so you get the hang of everything.  As long as you’re willing to ask questions, surgeons are willing to answer them.

What is your most memorable moment at 51�Թ�?

Which one �ɲ�����&/�����Dz�/�����ٱ𲵴ǰ���/��������ܲ��ٱ�-����dzٱ��������/�ڱ���/8217;��’? I had a few, especially with the teachers.  Ms. V pushed me hard.  I know she was extra hard on me, but it’s something I’m glad she did.  I could’ve easily been like “You know what, whatever,” but she kept pushing, and she told me she saw something in me.  I carried that on as a fire within me because I didn’t want to disappoint her. Mr. M in the OR taught me a lot about what I was going to use in the field.  I was able to open up in front of the class.

Who would you say is your biggest inspiration or influence?

My wife, for sure.  She’s always pushing me to get an education.  If I had to come do extra hours she supported me all the way.  Even now she supports me in so many ways.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not at work?

I get a lot more time to be with my kids now.  It’s what I always wanted, and now I have that chance through my career.

Do you have a personal motto for yourself or your life?

My motivation for myself when I don’t feel motivated is listening to motivational speeches.  If I’m feeling out of it, I push myself to keep pursuing.  I want to get better, but I can’t reach that level if I’m comfortable.  So I try to put myself in uncomfortable situations to learn how to keep pushing.   My goal is to reach the top.

At 51�Թ�, we strive to impart both the medical and on-the-job knowledge you need to understand the importance of customer service skills in healthcare. For information about admission  to our many healthcare programs, contact us today at 877.770.4CBD or 213.427.2200.

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