Special Needs Mom Gains New Skills Through Medical Assisting
Tori Stouffer left high school when she was 17 but when her children were born with special needs, she saw how important a good education in the medical field could be for her.
“For me to be a mother and have kids that have a lot of health problems I should be well equipped in the medical field to understand exactly what’s going on with my kids so I can make sure they get the best care that I can give them,” she said.
Tori’s son was born with a genetic mutation that makes him susceptible to developing cancer at any time, a tilted brain, and a condition called papilledema which puts pressure on the optic nerve in his eye sockets. Her daughters are autistic, dyslexic and have ADD and ADHD. Taking care of them all is a full-time job that has made working difficult at times.
“Every time I start working, I lose my jobs because of my son’s health,” she said. “With a medical background if it happens again, I can do more for him and help take care of him, so it doesn’t hinder me in the working field either.”
In 2019, Tori took the first step, achieving her high school diploma. Once she had that, she didn’t want to stop. She completed a Pharmacy Technician program and got an associates degree in Medical Administrative Assisting. The opportunity for more hands on learning brought her to UEI College’s Medical Assisting Program at the Oceanside campus.
“Tori was the perfect student that you always want in your class,” said Susan Cole, Tori’s instructor. “She came in and even on her first day she’s willing to help anyone, she’s a quick learner, you don’t have to tell her things twice. I thought I’ve got gold in my class right now. She was the kind of student you never had to worry about her getting her work done.”
Tori was eager to learn skills that could help her children and more about the medical field too.
“I learned how to draw blood and give injections,” she said. “I learned the proper way to manually take blood pressure and more medical terms. I gained a better outlook on medical assistants who are taking the phone calls. I never understood how stressful or how much that person has to do on a daily basis with the doctors. Now that I’m in it, I understand that it is a lot more hectic than it seemed to be.”
During her externship, Tori hit a series of bumps in the road that made completing the program difficult, but she pushed forward. In the end she was hired by her externship site.
“I wanted to show my kids no matter what happens in life, you can go back and get your education,” she said. “It’s never too late to do what you want to. You have to put your mind to it and do hard work and push to get there… (the staff at UEI) accept you with open arms and they wind up being extended family. They help you in each and every way when you’re there to help you be successful in life and get you to the finish line.”
