Deandre McGinnis
Medical Assistant Graduate from Pima Medical Institute
I grew up a troubled child in a single parent home. My mother worked three jobs to support my sisters and me, and by the time I got to high school, I had attended 14 different schools. I tried community college but dropped out and for the next 10 years, I built up quite the resume, but I always had a nagging feeling I was supposed to be so much more.
Since the age of 12, I’ve had the dream of working in the medical field. I identified as a transman and I knew I wanted to eventually become a surgeon and give back to the transgender community. In 2018, I found myself living near a Pima Medical Institute campus and I decided it was time to stop peaking over the fence and start living my dream of a career in the medical field so I enrolled in their Medical Assistant program. Although it was nerve-wracking starting school, I quickly adjusted and got excited about learning. I had wonderful instructors and I learned I had a knack for medicine. I was worried about being transgender but the classmates and instructors that I told were kind and accepting. I faced many obstacles during my program including having to move several times. For a while, I was getting up at 3 am to ride my bike and get to class on time. It was extremely hard, but I would show up each day with positivity and an eagerness to learn.
I was placed at the Center for Neurosciences for my externship. I wasn’t afraid to ask questions and I wanted to learn all I could. I found out that after only a week they had already decided to offer me a position when I graduated. During the last part of my program, I was homeless, working at my externship site during the day and working a 12-hour shift at Target overnights. With the help of Pima Medical’s student services department, I was able to find resources for food, toiletries and even a place to shower. Life was certainly a struggle, but I wanted to be successful more than I wanted to sleep.
Pima Medical was the best decision I have ever made. I had amazing instructors and they gave me a great start in my medical career. Recently, I enrolled in their online Health Care Administration associate and bachelor’s degree programs. I love my job as a Medical Assistant, but I want more. Just remember … you can do ANYTHING you put your mind to. Just ignite your hunger for knowledge.