Getting the support you need when making a career shift can make all the difference. When Monaque J. pursued her Surgical Technology degree at Concorde Career College, San Antonio, she was fortunate to have the guidance of the program’s faculty as well as the encouragement of her employer.
“Before finding surgical technology, I took on all kinds of positions at the hospital I worked at,” Monaque said. “Nothing was really clicking until my boss told me I should try surgical technology.”
Following her boss’ recommendation, she looked for surgical technology degree program options and found the perfect one at Concorde’s San Antonio, Texas campus.
Overcoming Challenges
From day one, Monaque loved Concorde’s Surgical Technology program and persevered through her training with the assistance from Concorde’s instructors.
Concorde’s San Antonio Program Director, Carolyn Brzoznowski also created a course-related podcast for Monaque so she could continue learning class concepts before and after clinicals while working her full-time job.
“Ms. Brzoznowski’s help meant the world to me,” Monaque said. “She helped me stay motivated even at times when I wanted to quit. I knew I had to keep going and she made sure of it.”
Monaque faced several personal challenges while pursuing her degree, from balancing coursework with a full-time job to frequent car breakdowns. Her determination was tested most, however, one month before graduation.
In the span of one week, Monaque’s mother was hospitalized after having a stroke, her brother passed away and her sister gave birth to a baby prematurely.
“The week of July 17, 2019, was one of the most stressful times in my life," Monaque said. “But I knew I had to power through. I was so close to getting my degree and nothing was going to stop me.”
Despite everything and with the help of her instructors, she never missed a day of class and graduated in August 2019, on her mother’s birthday.
“It was the perfect gift for my mom to see me walk across that stage,” she said.
Practicing Surgical Technology
Today, Monaque is a surgical technologist at Methodist Ambulatory Surgery Center in San Antonio and couldn’t be happier.
“I get up two hours early every morning because I’m just so excited for my day,” she said. “Being in surgical technology isn’t a job for me, it’s just something I love to do.”
Monaque considers her position to be the glue between doctors and their patients, ensuring that the right tools are provided during surgery. A critical part of her job is sterilizing all surgical equipment. This step prevents patients from getting an infection and is even more important amid a global pandemic.
“The pandemic didn’t break us but strengthened the things surgical technologists and other hospital staff already practice,” Monaque said. “This is something I’m extremely confident in and believe I couldn’t have done without the help of Concorde Career College.”
