Alumni Spotlight: Meet Patricia Finocchario '22

Alumni Spotlight: Meet Patricia Finocchario ’22

Program: Medical Assisting

Campus: Henrietta

Medical assisting (MA) alumna Patricia Finocchario discovered her passion for the medical field when she got her first pair of glasses at 8 years old. As she got older, she always knew that she would end up in a role that would involve helping others, but it took time and experience to encourage her to get there.

Patricia served in the Navy for 16 years as an airplane captain, aviation mechanic mate, and intelligence specialist. “Throughout my career in the Navy, I always felt guilty when someone thanked me for my service because I felt that I wasn’t doing anything that was helping people directly. I always knew that helping others would be where I ended up after the Navy, but I didn’t know the path I was going to take to get there,” Patricia said. Although she was making a difference in the Navy, she knew the medical field was her passion.

Patricia took the leap and inquired about the medical assisting program at Bryant & Stratton College. The Medical Assisting Associate of Applied Science degree program at Bryant & Stratton College is designed to prepare students for a rewarding career in the medical field. Graduates will gain the critical thinking skills and medical education they need to pursue career opportunities with private practices, hospitals, clinics, and more. Medical assistants are multi-skilled health professionals specifically educated to work in ambulatory settings and perform administrative or clinical duties focused on patient care.

After completing her degree, Patricia became a technician at University Eye Specialists, P.C., which provides the most up-to-date eye care, from routine eye exams to complex eye surgeries. Her role includes greeting patients, updating charts, answering phones, scheduling appointments, verifying insurance information, collecting payments, and more.

Patricia shared, “The medical office systems class I took while at Bryant & Stratton College was a huge help in preparing me for what to expect when working in a medical office. As expected, every office’s system for viewing charts is different, but we were able to view different tabs to input required information, such as lab results, or reschedule an appointment, preparing me for my current position and giving me crucial experience.”

“Every instructor I had at Bryant & Stratton College was extremely helpful throughout my educational career. They were always willing to answer any question and would share their personal experiences in the field to help make the classes more personal. Just knowing that there was always someone there to help made it easier to keep pushing through,” Patricia said.

Patricia’s goal is to continue with additional training and advance in her career at University Eye Specialists. Although her current role specializes in eyes and vision, she is striving to stay up to date on all different specializations in the healthcare field.

“To anyone who is considering attending Bryant & Stratton College, you will not be disappointed. Everything I learned in my classes is being applied to my job daily. All the time and hard work I put in were worth it. I thought it would be impossible to apply my job skills from the military to the medical field, but I learned how to do it in college,” Patricia said.

Patricia shared, “Even after graduating, I am connected to Bryant & Stratton College constantly. There is always someone reaching out to see how things are going for me, and it is so nice to see how the college cares so much about their students both during [the program] and after graduation.”

Learn more about the medical assisting program at Bryant & Stratton College here!