For many students and graduates, Ross Medical Education Center is just the beginning, serving as a springboard for them as they enter the exciting healthcare field. That was the case for Ashley Fekken, a graduate of the Medical Assistant program at Ross in Roosevelt Park, MI. From first setting foot on the campus, Ashley was a great student. In fact, she was often chosen as a mentor for other students in her class because of her dedication to her attendance and academics. “Ashley was the type of student with a heart and smile that would light up the room as soon as she walked in,” shared Campus Director Lisa Picard.
After completing the classroom portion of her training, Ashley continued to be very successful at her externship site. She so impressed them that they hired her directly from her externship experience. So, as soon she graduated from the Medical Assistant program in November 2015, Ashley was already employed at Lakeshore Medical of Mercy Health Partners. She was thrilled to be there and in a position to daily help others. Her passion for helping others inspired her to take her skills to a very different field. She volunteered to be a part of a team on a medical mission trip to Belize.
Ashley shared about her time in Belize, “the experience I gained there was priceless. It was an incredible experience to be immersed in a whole new culture. I also got the chance to tour the local hospital and see how different the medical field is over there. While I was in Belize I participated in five different clinics around Orange Walk. The majority of the patients were either diabetic or had hypertension. Thanks to Ross, I know how to do vitals, what is considered too high for blood pressure, and how to use glucometers. I also saw quite a few children. Which is what I do on a regular basis at my job where Ross placed me on my extern. The children were such a blessing. The people I met and connected with in Belize I will never forget. I left part of my heart with them when I left. I very much look forward to returning someday.”
The staff and faculty at Ross in Roosevelt Park is so proud of Ashley and her hard work and dedication to healthcare, not only at Mercy Health, but even in Belize! She is an inspiration as she strives to dedicate herself to help her patients but even go above and beyond to help those in need.