Education Empowers: Ilayda Akdeniz
From a young age, Ilayda Akdeniz felt a deep compassion for others, a quality that naturally guided her toward a career in healthcare. She knew that working directly with patients and helping improve their lives would bring her lasting fulfillment and a sense of purpose.
While pursuing her undergraduate degree, Ilayda enrolled in ed2go’s online Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) program. The flexibility of learning at her own pace allowed her to prepare for and pass the CCMA exam and secure a job before graduation.
Today, Ilayda works as a Clinical Medical Assistant at Rady Children’s Hospital, providing direct patient care in the pediatric dermatology clinic. Her journey is a powerful example of how education empowers learners to follow their passions and achieve their goals. Watch the videos below to learn more about Ilayda’s inspiring path.
Finding Purpose in Patient Care
Ilayda is a lifelong learner, and healthcare, an ever-evolving field, proved to be the perfect match. The opportunity to work in an industry driven by innovation and new technologies, while also making a meaningful impact in patients’ lives, inspired her to pursue a career she’s truly passionate about.
Confidence Through Coursework
The ed2go Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) course equipped Ilayda with highly relevant materials that directly prepared her for the certification exam. She credits the quizzes and practice tests with helping her identify her strengths and weaknesses, allowing her to focus her studies more effectively. Being able to assess her progress and target specific areas for improvement gave her the confidence she needed, ultimately helping her pass the exam on her first try.
Self-Paced, Career-Focused Learning
Ilayda is goal-oriented and proactive, traits that helped her stay ahead of the curve. While on track to graduating a year early, she began thinking seriously about how to transition from college to a career. She chose ed2go for its flexible, self-paced online format, which allowed her to balance a full-time course load, a job and preparation for the CCMA certification exam. The ability to study when and where it worked best for her made it possible to reach her ambitious goals.
From Assistant to Aspiring Physician
Furthering her education has helped Ilayda achieve her lifelong dream of helping others. Today, she works at one of the largest hospitals in the country, where she continues to learn every day. Her passion for growth and discovery has since inspired her to aim even higher as she is currently studying for the MCAT, the next step toward her ultimate goal of becoming a physician.
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