Carolina Carreon

First MA Certification Program Graduate

Variety Care is proud to celebrate the first graduate of its MA program, Carolina Carreon.

Carolina began her rise to success at Variety Care as a part-time Greeter. She then moved to be a fulltime PSR with Urgent Care, but she didn’t stop there –Carolina saw opportunities to propel her career, and Variety Care wanted to help make her dreams a reality.

Carolina was one of 15 employees enrolled in Variety Care’s first MA Certification Program. The initiative gives employees the opportunity to obtain their MA certification with the National Healthcare Association, free of cost.

When her supervisors Whitney and Liliana told her about the program, Carolina jumped at the chance. “I always wanted to have a certificate in the medical field, so this was a great opportunity to start,” she said.

Program Coordinator Angela CastroJenkins and MA Program Director and Variety Care Interim COO Shauna developed this initiative to strengthen professionalism, increase patient satisfaction, and improve patient care.

It’s open to all employees, regardless of career level or job description.

The program for current MAs is a one to two-month online course/study guide to prepare them for national testing. The other program , open to all other employees, is a sixmonth training course that can be completed after hours, at their own pace.

Carolina credits Variety Care with making her goals more obtainable. “Without this option, I wouldn’t do it because most of the programs are pretty expensive,” she explained. She says that throughout the certification process, her mom was her biggest cheerleader. “She would see me struggling, and she would support me 24/7.”

To anyone considering applying for the MA Certification Program, Carolina says: “You can do it. It might be hard at first, but in the end, you’ll have something to be proud of.”

For more information about the MA Certification Program, email Shauna O’Brien at sobrien@varietycare.org.