Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare employees gain certifications through University of Memphis

15 current MLH Associates complete 15-month surgical technologist program

MEMPHIS, Tenn., April 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Since launching the Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare Associate Advancement Program (MAAP), 60 employees have completed specialized certification programs or earned bachelor's degrees with little or no out-of-pocket expense.

MAAP, in partnership with the University of Memphis, offers current Methodist Le Bonheur employees opportunities to affordably pursue higher education degrees and certificate options on their own schedule. Recently 15 Methodist Le Bonheur employees completed a 15-month certification program to become surgical technologists in operating rooms across the six-hospital healthcare system.

"For some, this is a return to a learning structure they haven't experienced in years, maybe decades," said Janine Scott, director of the surgical tech program at the University of Memphis. "Changing a career is exciting, as is the potential for growth and advancement."

Memphian Nikki Gist joined Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare in 2020 and is a patient access coordinator with MLH's cardiology clinic, Sutherland Cardiology Clinic. "The opportunity Methodist Le Bonheur has for us is awesome. I wanted more for my life and I want a career. This program is fulfilling my goals," she said.

Tamie Joyner, also from Memphis, has been part of the Methodist Le Bonheur system for 18 years. She currently works as a utility aid at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, but is excited to change her career path. "This is something I've always wanted to do, but the timing was never right. When this program became available, I knew this was the right time for me."

Langdon Eason has been with Methodist University Hospital for four years, most recently as a patient care assistant. "I feel like I've cleared a major hurdle in my life with this program. I didn't know if I could do it, but Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare believed in me and here I am. I have overcome my self-doubts."

Ethel Thomas from Horn Lake, Miss., joined the Memphis-based healthcare system in 2016 and currently monitors EKG telemetry at Methodist South Hospital but is eager to support patients and clinical teams in the operating room. "I love being part of a team that helps patients and returns them home to their loved ones. By the end of the day, I'll know I've helped multiple people. There is no greater feeling than that."

For more information on MAAP, visit MethodistHealth.org/MAAP. For career opportunities with Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, visit MethodistHealth.org/careers.

About Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare

Based in Memphis, Tennessee, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare has been caring for patients and families regardless of their ability to pay for more than 100 years. Guided by roots in the United Methodist Church and founded in 1918 to help meet the growing need for quality healthcare in the greater Memphis area, MLH has grown from one hospital into a comprehensive healthcare system with 13,000 Associates supporting six hospitals, including nationally ranked Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, ambulatory surgery centers, outpatient facilities, hospice residence and physician and specialty practices serving communities across the Mid-South. From transplants and advanced heart procedures to expert neurology services and compassionate cancer care, MLH offers clinical expertise with a focus on improving every life we touch.

SOURCE Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare