Julie Gaspari

Adult Medical Assisting Graduate Starts Her Career at the JVS Adult Career Center

Julie Gaspari, Medical Assisting Program, Class of: 2007
Julie Gaspari walked through the doors of the Lorain County JVS Adult Career Center during the summer of 2007 with the goal of earning her GED. By the time she left the JVS, she had accomplished this goal and so much more.

“One of the best things about the JVS Adult Career Center is that if offers programs for people who are at different stages in their lives,” said Gaspari, who dropped out of high school when she was 16 years old.

“I wanted to earn my GED to be an example for my children,” she said. “I wanted to show them that getting an education is important, no matter what your age.”

“But taking those initial steps to resume my education was challenging because I had been out of school for so long,” continued Gaspari, who is 33 years old. “In truth, I probably wouldn’t have done it if I hadn’t received so much support from the JVS teachers who helped me every step of the way.”

After successfully passing her GED exam, it didn’t take Gaspari long to realize that she wanted to explore additional training options that would help her get the skills she needed to start a career. After talking with a career counselor, she decided to enroll in the Adult Career Center’s Medical Assisting Program.

“Being a mother of three, I was a little hesitant about committing to a full-time program that met 4 days a week and lasted for 9 months,” stated Gaspari. “But my instructor, Nancy Smith, helped me stay focused on my future while juggling my classwork and family obligations.”

“When she first started the Medical Assisting Program, Julie was worried that she might not be able to get through the difficult course content that is drawn from an in-depth analysis of general, clinical and administrative tasks that medical assistants perform on a daily basis,” Smith said.

“But in reality, she excelled at the administrative training, including medical records management, billing and coding,” continued Smith.

All of the Adult Career Center’s full-time programs have an internship component built into the curriculum. Gaspari, of Sullivan, completed her internship at Akron Children’s Hospital, where she worked in the neurology and pediatrics departments. During her internship she performed a variety of tasks ranging from blood pressure checks to immunizations.

“I was nervous about using needles when I first started my training; especially the thought of giving shots to babies,” said Gaspari. “This is where my JVS training really helped. Knowing that immunizations keep children from contacting potentially fatal diseases helped me conquer my fears.”

Gaspari’s internship led to a full-time position at Akron Children’s Hospital Physician Associates, in Wooster, where she currently works.

“Julie demonstrated knowledge and commitment to the medical assistant profession by passing the CMA (AAMA) Certification Exam,” Smith said. “The preparation and cost of the exam is included as a part of the Medical Assisting Program.”

“Like other professional designations, the CMA (AAMA) is evidence of competence in a demanding field; it will afford Julie broader career advancement opportunities and enhanced job security.”

Gaspari plans to take advantage of these opportunities and continue her education at Lorain County Community College to become a nurse or surgical assistant.

“Without the JVS, I’d probably be working a low-paying job with no chance for a better job,” said Gaspari. “The training and support I received at the JVS Adult Career Center helped me get to a point in my life where I have educational options and a great career in my future.”