Today we’d like to introduce you to Candice Trobitz.
Candice, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Ten years ago, when I was a junior in high school, I had a difficult time figuring out what I want to do for a career. My mom was having some medical issues at the time and had an ultrasound and told me I feel like this your calling and you should look into this career. And so the research began. I was so intrigued and fascinated that I looked into where I would get my degree and reached out to an advisor at Oregon Tech. They were super friendly and helpful and answered my questions and told me some courses I could take my senior year of high school to knock it out of the way before I attend college. My senior year was a breeze in knowing what I was going to pursue, what college I was applying to, and what electives and college credit courses to take.
My first year of college was prerequisites before you apply to one of the ultrasound programs you have classes you are required to take, at the end of your freshman winter term you are allowed to apply for the program and have an interview with the department heads, before applying shadowed the upperclassman when they would scan in lab and volunteer to be scanned by them. I was so fascinated with the vasculature that I knew this was the ultrasound program for me. I remember my interview day clearly to this day. They asked me questions on why I wanted to pursue this career. My answer was easy. I wanted to help people to make a difference in someone’s life whether it was putting a smile on their face or finding disease that could be treated and save someone’s life.
That summer, I was accepted into the program, and for another two years on campus, I began my focused education on Vascular Technology. It was a difficult program and I sacrificed much of my free time to study and work a part-time job 30 hours a week to help limit my student loans. The stress was outrageous. We lost many students in my class because the workload was too hard. But the end of my junior year, it all felt surreal because I had made it and now I get to find out where my one-year senior externship would be. The programs get hospital sites all over the country to take a student on for a year so they can apply everything they learned in school to the real-world application. They do this in a lottery draw.
We all met up on a designated day with knowing potential sites. When a site comes up, they ask who is interested and then multiple people will raise their hands and their name goes into a hat. My name was never drawn for anything I wanted. I got stuck with my last thought. Burlington, Vermont. I should have been more excited looking back but here I was a 20-year-old moving across the country away from my family and boyfriend. It was either go or don’t graduate. I had come this far; there was no turning back. That year in Vermont was an experience. A great one.
I learned from what I believe some of the best Technologists at the University Vermont Medical Center, working for some of the most knowledgeable Vascular Surgeons. It was a whole new experience for the better. It was difficult being so far from the ones I loved and didn’t get to see my parents for a whole year and only being able to see my boyfriend (who is now my husband) twice in a year. But when I returned back west to graduate, I felt accomplished and proud. I put myself to a whole new test and a whole new experience and never gave up. Shortly thereafter, I found a job in Redding, CA. Working for a cardiologist where I know reside and going on my fifth year. Every day I feel like I make a difference in a patient’s life, and that’s all I wanted.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
As I mentioned previously, it has not been easy. I made some temporary sacrifices that, in the end paid off, such as free time in college and moving across the country for a year to follow through and finish my Bachelor’s degree education.
We’d love to hear more about your practice.
I am a Registered Vascular Technologist. I scan veins and arteries all over the body and work for a well-known Cardiologist here in the north state of California. I feel blessed to work for such a wonderful and humble doctor. I am most proud of how many times I look back and think, “man, I am so thankful I saw that patient today and took those images for the doctor.” If I hadn’t who knows if that patient would be here today, I am a very empathetic person and my patients open up to me and sometimes that’s all someone needs besides great healthcare of course. Sometimes someone just wants someone to listen to them. I can’t tell you how many times a patient has thanked me for listening or just having a conversation with them. What people don’t realize is I may be the only conversation that person has had with someone in a while, and they appreciate it more than I even realize.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My mom has been my biggest cheerleader since I can remember. When things get tough, she always picks up the pieces. She believes in me when I don’t and I couldn’t appreciate her and enough. My husband who has been there since the beginning watching my dedication and hard work to get where I am and to be so understanding and patient. I can’t forget where I have gained my knowledge my Vascular college professors gave me the knowledge to get where I am today and retain what I know now, and I can’t forget the mentors I had on my externship in Vermont. They were the ones who took my knowledge and let me blossom into the technologist I am today.
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