15 current MLH Associates complete 15-month surgical technologist program
Since launching the Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare Associate Advancement Program (MAAP), 60 employees have completed specialized certification programs or earned bachelor’s degrees with little or no out-of-pocket expense.
MAAP, in partnership with the University of Memphis, offers current Methodist Le Bonheur employees opportunities to affordably pursue higher education degrees and certificate options on their own schedule. Recently 15 Methodist Le Bonheur employees completed a 15-month certification program to become surgical technologists in operating rooms across the six-hospital healthcare system.
“For some, this is a return to a learning structure they haven’t experienced in years, maybe decades,” said Janine Scott, director of the surgical tech program at the University of Memphis. “Changing a career is exciting, as is the potential for growth and advancement.”
For instance, Ethel Thomas of Horn Lake joined the Memphis-based healthcare system in 2016 and currently monitors EKG telemetry at Methodist South Hospital but is eager to support patients and clinical teams in the operating room. “I love being part of a team that helps patients and returns them home to their loved ones. By the end of the day, I’ll know I’ve helped multiple people. There is no greater feeling than that.”
Memphian Nikki Gist joined Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare in 2020 and is a patient access coordinator with MLH’s cardiology clinic, Sutherland Cardiology Clinic. “The opportunity Methodist Le Bonheur has for us is awesome. I wanted more for my life and I want a career. This program is fulfilling my goals,” she said.
Tamie Joyner, also from Memphis, has been part of the Methodist Le Bonheur system for 18 years. She currently works as a utility aid at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, but is excited to change her career path. “This is something I’ve always wanted to do, but the timing was never right. When this program became available, I knew this was the right time for me.”
Langdon Eason has been with Methodist University Hospital for four years, most recently as a patient care assistant. “I feel like I’ve cleared a major hurdle in my life with this program. I didn’t know if I could do it, but Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare believed in me and here I am. I have overcome my self-doubts.”
