Hope McMillian
Surgical Technician
Loma Linda University Medical Center
Rancho Cucamonga, CA USA
“If I have made a parent smile, that makes a difference.”
Videos
By Roadtrip NationHope McMillian
Milestones
My road in life has been direct.
I started my healthcare career as a certified nursing assistant before transitioning to become a certified mental health worker for nine years.
I got hired at a local hospital which led to a promotion in the obstetrics department in just eight months thanks to positively impacting my supervisors.
After a workplace injury forced me to take three years off, I found the drive to upskill by completing an EKG program and getting surgical tech training.
I was able to get a job at Loma Linda University Medical Center as a surgical technician in the obstetrics department and have been here for six years now.
Despite initial nervousness about my capabilities, encouragement from colleagues empowered me to excel in delivering babies.
Education
High School
Certification/License
EKG Program
San Bernardino County Workforce Program
EKG Program
San Bernardino County Workforce Program
Career
Surgical Technician
I assist in delivering babies and focus on keeping the expecting mother calm and comfortable.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Medicine
Science
Helping People
Day to Day
My days are unpredictable but dedicated to one purpose: safely delivering newborns. I prepare our instruments and operating rooms, which always need to be ready since mothers could arrive needing emergency care at any time. When that call comes, we swiftly get scrubbed in to assist the obstetrician, carefully supplying each tool to gently bring the baby into the world. My role is supporting the doctor so the baby can enter whole and healthy.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for everyone
There are different routes you can take to become a surgical technician. Loma Linda University Medical Center is a university, so it's a training hospital. Because of that, I was able to get hired and complete a training program to become a surgical technician rather than going to school. You can look into training centers to gain experience or you can look into more traditional educational programs.
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Myself:
"I don't think I can do this. What if I call for the wrong instrument or do something else wrong?"
