Name: Ashley Miller Position: Research Associate Year: 2014 Employer: Leidos Biomedical Research Major: Medical Laboratory Technology
Q & A
Why did you choose your major? I received my BS in biology from a big university, but struggled to find a job. I
had no related experience which was required for every position I applied for. My
dad introduced me to the program, and the fast-track option. I wanted to finish the
program in a year or less since I had already been in school for over five years and
needed to start a career. There were days I would have class 9am-9pm but it was the
best decision I've ever made.
What advice would you give to students interested in your career path? Believe in yourself!
I was so upset when I could not find a job, I was ready to throw away the whole idea
of working in the medical field. When I started the program, I remember the program
director telling me no one had fast tracked in less than a year and she didn't know
if it would be possible. I was determined to do it, after all, I NEEDED a job, and
one I liked. After my first exam I realized the program wasn't going to be easy as
I thought, and I learned I would have to put all my energy into doing the best I could
to learn everything I could, as fast as I could. I ended up falling in love with
learning and as a result, I fell in love with what I would probably be doing for possibly
the rest of my life.
What was your overall experience at ACM? ACM was the best decision I have ever made. The program director and teachers were
always on my side to help me succeed any way they could. They took time everyday
to make sure myself and other students had the resources we needed to learn. They
prepared us in every way for what a career would be like, and they assisted us in
setting up clinical rotations. After graduating I was able to walk into a job as a
medical laboratory technician!
Who was your favorite ACM Faculty/Staff member? Why? Both Stacey Rohrbaugh and Wendi Wilson are amazing!
What is your greatest achievement in your career? Walking into a job right after graduating was one of my biggest achievements. Following
my career as a MLT, I took on a new career in an AIDS Monitoring Lab in which I've
received two promotions and have been able to learn flow cytometry.
Why did you choose to enroll at a community college? I loved being at a community college. My classes were small, the teachers knew my
name, they genuinely cared about the success of their students. It was so much more
personal! I learned more in one year at a community college than I did in three years
at a university. I could have saved myself a lot of time and money if I knew programs
such as MLT existed.
