Leonela's Story of a Pathway to a Career in Healthcare

Leonela came to the Literacy Center with a clear goal: to enter the healthcare field and build a career. Raised in a bilingual household and educated in the United States, she had taken college classes and was determined to keep moving toward a career helping others. 

She shared that she had previously attempted EMT coursework at a community college but had not been successful. Despite this, she was determined to work in healthcare. She enrolled in the Literacy Center and Corewell Health’s Medical Assistant training program and committed herself fully, even when the pace and expectations felt overwhelming.
 
Leonela recalled being nervous, because of her previous experience in education. “Starting the program, I had low hopes about passing because I’ve never been the best when it comes to studying and learning new material,” she shared. Leonela described the amount of information as intense, but said the extra support made the difference. Staff met with her outside of class to work on note taking and study strategies, and she often came into the Literacy Center or Corewell on work-from-home days to study in a quieter environment.
 
Over time, her confidence grew alongside her skills. Leonela passed her Medical Assistant certification exam on the first try and graduated from the MA training program last month. During her apprenticeship, she became such a valued member of the clinic team that they offered her a full-time position after completing the program.
 
Today, we are excited to celebrate that Leonela is beginning her career as a certified Medical Assistant, something that once felt uncertain after earlier setbacks in school. “Working at the clinic as a student and then transitioning into an MA has been a huge accomplishment for me,” she shared. “I’m very grateful for the opportunity to work alongside Corewell Health and look forward to continuing my education.”

Thanks to the generosity of donors like you, learners like Leonela are able to access the instruction, support, and career pathways that help turn long-held goals into reality.