RichmondCC Medical Assisting Graduate Celebrates 12 Years with FirstHealth

Nov. 30, 2020 – Allison Goodwin of Hamlet earned her Medical Assisting degree from Richmond Community College in 2008. She currently serves as the Clinic Manager with FirstHealth Women’s Center in Rockingham.

Goodwin started at RichmondCC after high school. Soon after starting classes she later found out she was pregnant and gave birth to her son at the end of her second semester. She then decided to take a break from continuing her education to care for her child. She went on to work for Time Warner Cable but was laid off from her job.

She decided to apply to nursing school. Unfortunately, because of the time-consuming and competitive nature of the RichmondCC nursing program admissions process, she needed to pursue other options. Knowing that she still wanted to work in healthcare, Goodwin enrolled in the Medical Assisting program. This provided her the opportunity to enroll in classes immediately while still getting the practical training needed to begin a career in the medical field.

“Medical Assisting provided me the opportunity to return to the medical field which was my passion.  Having RichmondCC available as a local option for college made my desire to obtain a degree a reality. RichmondCC was convenient and affordable which was important to me since I was a wife and mother,” said Goodwin.

Goodwin went from a full-time employee to a full-time student and with the help of RichmondCC, it was a smooth transition.

“The staff were very helpful with assisting with class schedules, financial aid coordination, communicating the requirements of the classes and helping to insure I would be able to complete the program within two years,” she said.

Like many students, Goodwin discovered the importance of proper time management. The first year was difficult as she juggled being a wife, a mother and a full-time student.

“My son played different sports and it was difficult to juggle school with both of us having homework and tests to study for along with trying to maintain his love for sports,” she said.

Goodwin ultimately persevered and successfully completed the two-year Medical Assisting program. She was offered a position at FirstHealth Richmond Family Medicine just prior to graduation. Throughout the program, Goodwin says her instructors challenged her abilities beyond the limits of what she thought was possible. They also encouraged her to get out of her comfort zone by believing in herself.

“Because of my instructors, I set a personal goal to complete the program with an A in every class, I knew I could achieve this over the course of 5 semesters,” she said.

RichmondCC provided Goodwin with the knowledge and training she needed to obtain her Medical Assisting degree. This skilled training and experience prepared her for a life-long career as a Medical Assistant.

Goodwin just recently celebrated twelve years with FirstHealth in June 2020. She has spent most of her career with FirstHealth working as a Medical Assistant at FirstHealth Family Medicine in Rockingham. In September she received a promotion to Clinic Manager for FirstHealth Women’s Center in Rockingham.

For more information about the Medical Assisting program, contact Renea Craven, Medical Assisting Program Coordinator, at (910) 410-1888 or email acrcraven1239@richmondcc.edu.