RESPIRATORY THERAPY SUCCESS STORIES
Kristi Caruso
Name:
Krista Caruso, RCP
Place of Employment:
Loma Linda University Medical Center
“Without the opportunities of Victor Valley College, I can honestly say that I wouldn't be where I am today. I started the program when I was 19 years old--without any hospital work experience--and I was hoping to fulfill my life long dream of becoming a Respiratory Therapist. The experience that I gained in the classroom prepared me for my clinical rotations in the hospital. Everything I learned and the situations I faced helped prepare me for my licensing exams and my transition from being a student into a Respiratory Care Practitioner. At times I thought I was never going to make it, but the instructors that are involved in the Respiratory Therapy Program at Victor Valley College encouraged me not to give up and were completely unselfish with their time and knowledge. Their goal was to craft me into an outstanding respiratory therapist. The experience that I gained at Victor Valley College is priceless because it gave me the groundwork that I needed in order to build my knowledge and professional experience. If you are considering entering the hospital field, or even if you know you want to be a Respiratory Therapist but are trying to decide which school to attend, I urge you to strongly consider VVC as your school to learn about the dynamic field of Respiratory Therapy. There's more to Respiratory then most people realize! Do you have what it takes?”
Cristofer Spero Strickland
Name:
Cristofer Spero Strickland
“At the deepest level, the creative process and the healing process arise from a single source. When you are an artist, you are a healer (Dr. Rachel Remen)”, and I believe that when you are a healer, you are an artist of your work. I’ve learned that we make a difference in the world through the work that we do, and that I have an opportunity in this field to paint the world with my own colors… altruism, compassion, honor, and knowledge became my own colors. As I acquired new skills, new experiences, and met new people, my confidence grew. My pallet grew as well. I found inspiration among my teachers, my patients, and my fellow students. Some of the friendships I’ve made, I’ll have the rest of my life. Every person and every lesson I learned became a new color, and the Respiratory Therapy Program at Victor Valley College my paintbrush. Today I’m a licensed professional and no longer a student, but I still seek opportunities to learn and always remember when I start my day at the hospital that though this is a normal day for me, it’s a big day in my patient’s life, and I want to paint it with patience, warmth, hope, and healing. I thank VVC for awakening this calling and giving me the skills to apply it.
Jenise Orton
Name:
Jenise Orton
As a young child I watched my Dad live with a heart condition. At 5 years old, I watched my Dad recover from his second open heart surgery. He was only 26. As I grew up, I would witness countless procedures and doctors’ appointments and would see hospital staff continually educate and encourage my Dad throughout his life. This propelled me toward my passion of working in the medical field. Throughout middle school and high school, I was unsure how to navigate toward the medical field, but the passion and drive I had to learn and help others never faded. I became a wife of a fire fighter at the age of 19, and by the time I was 22 I had 2 children. I was a stay at home mom for 10 years while taking classes at Victor Valley College toward completing my degree. As I was deciding which direction to go in the medical field, I discovered that respiratory therapy was exactly what I had been looking for. As I went through the interview process, received my acceptance into the program, and attended my first day of class, I knew I had made the right choice to fulfil my passion. Throughout the 2-year program I learned what my true potential of dedication truly was. I was given the priceless tools of to find “the answer” when needed, gained critical thinking skills throughout all scenarios, and as my passion for learning grew, so did my passion for helping others. Throughout the program I understood the importance of and grew to become a patient advocate. My husband and young children watched as these characteristics became a part of who I am as a Respiratory Therapist and also as a person. These traits became a part of our lives in which we instill in our family to this day. I graduated from the Respiratory Therapy program at Victor Valley College in 2010. I received my Registered Respiratory Therapist license shortly after graduation and began working full time at a local hospital. Because of the education and experience that I received throughout this program, I was prepared to care for my patients in all areas of the hospital that I was called to such as the emergency room, medical-surgical floor, the intensive care unit and labor and delivery. I was also fortunate to receive training to care for open heart patients just as I watched as a young child. I worked as a bedside Respiratory Therapist for 7 years when I began having heart issues of my own. This program not only taught me the importance of being a patient advocate, it taught me how to be an advocate for myself and my own heath. With the education and characteristics that were taught to me throughout this program, I was able to work with hospital staff, doctors and cardiologists in order to resolve my condition. I am now a clinical instructor for the Victor Valley College Respiratory Therapy program. I enjoy working with the students each semester as they navigate through their journey of becoming a Respiratory Therapist. I will continue to learn alongside them, share my experiences and promote patient advocacy just as I was shown throughout my own journey of this program.
Joseph Oladayo Ojo
Name:
Joseph Oladayo Ojo
Going through the Respiratory Program at Victor Valley College was one of the hardest and most eventful 2 years of my life. When I first started, I thought I was prepared in knowing the anatomy and physiology of the respiratory system along with basic pathologies. The first day of class proved I was wrong and showed me that I have only scratched the surface of what I know. This program will teach you not only about respiratory diseases and pathologies, but how other diseases, organs, hormones, medications, and environmental sources can play a big part in how we breathe. This program will make you think out of the box and utilize all of your critical thinking skills to save lives. This program is not for that faint heart. You must realize and acknowledge that every patient you have is someone’s loved one, and you must be willing to do everything right to help a person in need. Families will put their trust in you to ease the pain and suffering of their loved one. I love working as a respiratory therapist and dedicating my life to use my critical thinking skills to improve the wellbeing of others in a clinical setting as well as bringing families together in a time of need. I owe everything I have learned in this program to Traci Marin. Not only has she opened my horizons in how I should be thinking in clinical settings, but she opened my eyes on how my perspective on life is as well. I plan on applying for Physician’s Assistant school in 2020, and I don’t think I would have had the courage to continue perusing medicine if I have not met Dr. Traci.
Arthur Ramirez
Name:
Arthur Ramirez
My success story began the summer of 2007 when I started the Respiratory Therapy program at VVC. The outstanding curriculum and invaluable clinical experience gained through the program has helped shape my career as a Respiratory therapist and has allowed me to utilize my education in many aspects of acute and long-term care of adults and pediatrics. The program strives to challenge students academically and develop a skill set that adapts to the ever-changing healthcare field. My success as a respiratory therapist can be attributed the program and the staff who believed in me. I am proud and grateful to the program, and I now help contribute by working in the healthcare field and as a clinical instructor for the program. This is my success story.
Kellianne McCaffrey
Name:
Kellianne McCaffrey
My decision to go through VVC’s Respiratory Therapy program is easily the best decision I ever made for myself. It is an affordable program that awards a transferable degree for potential BS programs, and every instructor is brilliant. This program gave me the critical thinking skills necessary to thrive in the field and developed the mindset to stay humble and never stop learning and growing. Through the program’s connections I had the opportunity meet what would be my future employer, and I made some of the best friends of my life. This program shaped my mind with the discipline necessary for the RT profession, and I never knew it would lead me to my dream job.
Amber Taylor
Name:
Amber Taylor
My name is Amber Taylor, and I graduated from the VVC RT program in 2012. Shortly after graduating high school in 2005, I wanted to be an RT, but it took me awhile to join this program and start my career path. After graduating the RT program, I have had 2 amazing jobs at two different hospitals, and I am working on expanding my career even further. This program was tough, but I believe that it is because not only does it prepare you to become a licensed practitioner, it also helps prepare you to understand the big picture of what is going on with a patient so you can collaborate with physicians and nurses to care for them to the best of your ability. Through VVC's RT program and the direction of its clinical staff, I learned how to use the knowledge I gained, along with critical thinking, in the assessment of my patients. I would have never imagined that my career would have grown into what it is today, and I can't wait to see what is in store in the future. I highly recommend this program to anyone who is sincere in helping patients as a respiratory care practitioner. Being a respiratory therapist is not easy. Just like anything else you do in life, there are bad days. There will be days you can’t save someone. days you feel like you could have done more for a patient, and days you go home and cry because you have seen so much loss that you think you can’t bare it anymore. But there are also days you will help a baby take its first breath or be able to save a life. You will develop relationships and touch many lives. Those days make it worth it. Those days make this career worth it. Any physician, respiratory therapist or nurse will tell you the same thing, “Don't jump into this career lightheartedly.” This program is tough for a reason. It prepares you for EVERYTHING you will experience in your professional career. Take it seriously. Anyone who has ever worked with me knows I am passionate about my job and caring about people. I am so thankful for the knowledge and opportunity this program gave me. Without it, I wouldn't be able to do what I do today.
Sean Cullin
Name:
Sean Cullin
I grew up in Southern California going to a poor high school in San Bernardino. After graduating, I took general education classes at Victor Valley College until I discovered the Respiratory Therapy Program. From there I finished the program and started working at Park Anaheim Healthcare Center and Redlands Community Hospital. After years of experience and going back to school to complete my B.S degree in Business-Healthcare Management, I started working as a clinical instructor for the same Respiratory Therapy program that got me my start in life. I have since decided to give back to the underprivileged part of society who were not lucky enough to receive many of the breaks I did and tutor homeless children through a program called school on wheels in an effort to ensure they do not fall behind in school and to make sure I help them get the best chance in life at success they can. I've started my master's program in Business Administration and hope to finish that in the next year so that I can provide leadership in an organization while helping it reach it's potential. I hope to lead a positive change, no matter how small it may be, for the future of this world.
Rafael Morales
Name:
Rafael Morales
My name is Rafael Morales and I graduated from the VVC Respiratory Therapy program in May 2009. I received excellent theory and didactics to prepare me for successful clinical rotations. During the program I attended clinicals at Loma Linda, ARMC, Redlands community and St Bernardine’s. I gained valuable experience at all these facilities, but I fell in love with the care provided at Arrowhead Regional. Their therapist driven protocols allow RT's to develop their clinical skills and become practitioners who can really make a difference in their patients’ outcomes. I have been employed at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center since graduation and have been working there since. I started as an entry level RCP 2, quickly was trained in NICU and gained valuable experience working closely with neonatologists resuscitating many neonates. I was promoted to RCP3, and in 2017 I was promoted to supervisor. Even though my responsibilities have changed, I still feel productive each day I work. I help lead the shift and train new employees and mentor them to become excellent Respiratory Care Practitioners. In 2016 I became a clinical instructor for VVC, and I have really enjoyed this job because it allows me to share the knowledge I have gained over these last 10 years. I had great clinical instructors as well as teachers when I attended VVC so I looked forward to joining this team. If I had to pick a career all over again, I would choose Respiratory therapy again!!!
Vanessa Gallegos
Name:
Vanessa Gallegos
I graduated from Victor Valley College in 2013. After a 13-year break from school, the thought of returning was scary and overwhelming. However, it was the best choice I made for myself and my family. The program itself was one of the most challenging and fulfilling experiences of my life. As a student I was able to experience many clinical sites and worked with many skilled medical professionals. The director, Dr. Traci Marin is as passionate about the science of the field as she is about compassion and patient advocacy. The Respiratory Therapy Program at VVC prepared me for the NBRC credentials and set the foundation for my clinical assessment skills. I have been employed as a Registered Respiratory Therapist going on 6 years now. I encourage anyone who has a love of science and medicine or anyone who loves being of service to others to explore the program. It will change your life.
Stephen Huang
Name:
Stephen Huang
The Victor Valley College Respiratory Therapy program shaped me into the individual that I am today. I started the program when I was 23-years old, without a background in the healthcare field, and I was hoping to someday fulfill my goal of becoming a Respiratory Therapist. The values and lessons that were instilled in the classroom prepared me to not only become a successful practitioner, but a patient advocate who strives to make a difference in the community by demonstrating compassion for patients and uplifting peers. At times, I thought that I was never going to make it, but the instructors that are involved with the Victor Valley College Respiratory Therapy Program encouraged me to keep striving for success. A success that was defined as integrity, personal growth, and altruism – unselfish concern for devotion to the welfare of others. Their goal was to mold me into an outstanding respiratory therapist. The experience I gained at Victor Valley College became the foundation that I needed to grow as a healthcare professional. If you are considering entering the medical field or trying to decide which school to attend, I urge you to strongly consider VVC as your as your school to learn about the growing field of Respiratory Therapy! Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concern of all humanity.” I encourage today’s prospective candidates to embrace this quote. Do you accept this challenge?
Monique Martinez
Name:
Monique Martinez
Hello, my name is Monique. I graduated with my Associates in Respiratory Therapy in 2013, which lead me to a job in polysomnography at a Sleep Disorder Center. The hard work, self-discipline and motivation that I learned while in the program lead me to several job promotions. I then took on another position at another Sleep Disorder Center (SDC) that served more patients. The Respiratory Therapy program left me with wanting to further my education. I went on to obtain a Bachelor's degree in Respiratory Therapy. I am currently working at an SDC, and I am now a clinical instructor. I feel that the Respiratory Therapy program at VVC helped guide me to become the hard-working Respiratory Therapist that I am today.
Thomas M. Seaton
Name:
Thomas M. Seaton
So I first heard about the Respiratory Program at VVC through a friend of my now mother-in-law. I was working a retail job that wasn't my passion and without much room for me to succeed any further. I ended up quitting my job the night I heard I was accepted into the program so that I could attend classes. The program ended up being one of the most challenging things I'd done in my life. Traci's teaching manner is not that of feeding information that is to be repeated on a test but rather that of a master-apprentice. She gave us the basics and encouraged us to build the skills to think critically about patient care. It was very challenging, but looking back, the most fun I had had in school. Traci taught us that once we'd established the basic foundation and maintained an open mind, we had all we needed to figure it out. Three months after graduating I landed a job at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, a high-level trauma facility that prides itself on therapist driven, patient directed protocols, where the therapist gets the freedom to treat the patient as indicated. I have been working there since 2013 and now have the privilege of getting to treat med-surg, ER, trauma, burn, ICU, VDR, etc. I look forward to working with my colleagues and have created new friendships. I am now expanding my career and working as an educator as a part time clinical site adjunct instructor and am exploring routes to becoming full time faculty.
Cynthia Panlaqui
Name:
Cynthia Panlaqui
I started the RT Program in 2013 at Victor Valley College. My journey was absolutely amazing. It was such a great program from which I learned a lot about my profession and myself. It really facilitated my growth as a person, and I learned how to be a great RT. My mentors were my role models as they guided me and taught me life lessons. As I learned from them every day, it encouraged the behaviors and discipline that allowed me to earn the clinical award during both my first and second year. It was truly a blessing, and I have my mentors and the support of my family to thank for it. I currently work at the VA, which was my first job as an RT. I absolutely love it and the experience I gain from working there.
Valentin Pishchanetskiy
Name:
Valentin Pishchanetskiy
My name is Val, and I'm and RRT. I graduated from VVC Respiratory Therapy Program in 2015 and have been working in pediatrics since. The ideology and the training I have received from the VVC RT program, such as to be self-sufficient and be able to find the answers, have helped me get to some amazing places and be part of some humbling experiences in respiratory care field. I have been an RRT for almost 4 years, and the journey has been rewarding. I currently work at a pediatric hospital in Florida. I hold the leadership position as charge therapist every shift I work. I am part of the ECMO (heart lung bypass) team as a specialist. In this role, I have been able to take care of some of the sickest kids helping them through their disease process, and after months of struggles, the opportunity to see them go home with their parents. The journey does not end here. There is so much more that we can do for our community and patients we take care of. I am continuing my education to get my BSRT and graduating this summer. I encourage all that are in the healthcare field to strive to be better yourself for your community, for your patients and for your families. I was extremely fortunate to be a part of an RT program that has changed the trajectory of my career. I learned not to just settle for a passing score and to do things just because it's the way they are done, but to really dig in and try to understand the whole dynamic of problem at hand. This allows us to come out being able to better serve those that need our help. The best thing you can do for someone is teach them to be self-sufficient in tasks at hand. It opens up a door to endless possibilities.
Jamie Wood
Name:
Jamie Wood
My name is Jamie Wood, and I graduated in 2015 from the Victor Valley Respiratory Care Program. Getting through school was an obstacle and came with many challenges to say the least. Today I am an RCP II working with critical patients in ICU and ER at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center full time and St. Mary's Medical on-call. Gaining my degree and completion of my certificate program has helped me achieve many personal goals and provided a better life for my family. Today, I am pursuing my Bachelor’s degree and am hopeful to obtain my CPA. The RT program has been an instrumental steppingstone stone to personal growth and continued accomplishment.
Brianne Hanson
Name:
Brianne Hanson
I graduated from the VVC program in 2012 with a 4.0 GPA. Following graduation, I took my CRT, RRT (written), and clinical simulation passing with my first attempt. At the time of graduation, the respiratory field was extremely saturated, but I was able to secure my first job soon after graduation at Desert Valley Hospital. I was employed at Desert Valley for five years while growing as a therapist. In 2015 I was offered a per diem job at St Mary's hospital, which turned into a full-time position, and for the past two years I have been furthering my growth as a therapist. I work all areas of the hospital including floor care, ICU, ER, Complete PFT. I also became one of the main preceptors for the department training all the new hires. Starting this summer, I will be furthering my education, obtaining my bachelor's degree and looking for new opportunities. This is because when I was in my RT program, I was always told to NEVER stop learning.
Peter Ong
Name:
Peter Ong
I started my medical career late. Growing up I lost my guidance. He taught me why school was so important. When he passed, I was so lost. After 10 years, I was able to realize I needed to go back. I am grateful VVC Respiratory Program gave me an opportunity to accomplish what my father wanted. Now I get this opportunity to help other family members. I have now been a Respiratory Therapist for over 5 years and still loving it. Here is to our Class!!! You may recognize some of them!
Damian Houston
Name:
Damian Houston
The VVC RT program gave me the training and clinical foundation to be an effective respiratory therapist. My VVC RT training helped me obtain my respiratory therapy position at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, an Ivy league school, a level 1 trauma teaching facility. I highly recommend learning from the director, Traci Marin, for her knowledge and the caring teaching!
CONTACT: Traci Marin @ traci.marin@vvc.edu or Mike Haines @ michael.haines@vvc.edu