WDB-ARMC partnership helps support 'dream worth living'

Even as a child, Hanh Tran knew that health care would play an important role in her life. Her mom struggled with osteoporosis for years, eventually succumbing to another devastating disease, pancreatic cancer.

“So many people helped her, and so many people have helped me, I want to pay it forward,” says Tran, a single mother who is launching her career in radiology thanks, in part, to a partnership between Arrowhead Regional Medical Center’s School of Radiology Technology and the San Bernardino County Workforce Development Board (WDB).

WDB provides financial assistance to help pay for books, scrubs, shoes and licensing tests for qualified students participating in the school’s 23.5-month program. For Tran, a first-generation Vietnamese-American, that support was a difference maker and allowed her to follow what she describes as “a dream worth living.”

“I’ve told Robyn (Caliver, WDB Workforce Development Specialist), I don’t think I could have done this without you,” says Tran, who is preparing for her board exams to become a licensed mammographer – a high-demand specialty that plays a critical role in the fight against breast cancer.

For Tran, it’s an opportunity to repay the care and support her mom received after fleeing Vietnam with five of Tran’s older siblings. Tran herself was born in San Bernardino, and along with her brothers and sisters would accompany her mother during her frequent visits to doctors’ offices and the hospital.

The good – and not-so-good – experiences convinced Tran to pursue a career in healthcare. She earned an associate degree at Crafton Hills College and enrolled in the School of Radiology Technology. Less than a year into her studies and clinical work, her mother passed away, but with the support of Rad Tech staff, Tran successfully completed the program.

“The day she learned about her mom, she stayed and helped a patient to the end. That patient saw something in her, and Hanh could see the impact she was having. It was really tough for her, but she hung in there,” says Melissa Huynh, program director for the school.

Tran says the experience – as difficult as it was – reaffirmed her commitment to helping others.

“Just being able to give back to my patients helped me go on,” she says. “When I see a patient going through cancer, that person is someone – someone’s grandma, someone’s loved one.”

Pathway to a high-demand career

The WDB partnership is extremely important for many students interested in pursuing a radiology career, Rad Tech’s Huynh says. In addition to tuition, the cost for books, clothing and testing can run well over $1,000 per year.

The school accepts eight new students per year, all of whom are required to have earned at least an associate degree. The nearly two years of 40-hour-per-week classroom and clinical training prepares graduates for one of the highest-demand segments of the healthcare field, with a projected 10-year job growth rate of nearly 7%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“These are good jobs that are supporting families and building healthier communities. We’re proud to be able to help students like Hanh fulfill their dreams,” says Phil Cothran, Chairman of the WDB.

Tran appreciates the opportunity.

“No matter what you decide to do in life, do it well,” she says. “My mom was a great woman, a very, very great woman. If I stop now, all the hard work she did would be gone.”