A Path Fueled by Compassion: Mariana’s Medical Assisting Career Journey

For Mariana Estella Belloc, a career in healthcare has been a natural extension of a lifelong commitment to caring for others. “I have been in the healthcare field for ten years. I started off with dental assisting and now I’m a medical assistant. I want to be the positive interaction someone has in their day while they go through any hardships or just a bad day. I had always babysat for families’ kids and taken care of the elders as well, so I just found it fitting to be in the healthcare field due to my passion of wanting to help others.”

After years of hands-on experience, Mariana sought to expand her qualifications, particularly after relocating to California where certification requirements differ. “I was trying to find a program to get my certificate for phlebotomy because in Arizona I was a phlebotomist, but with different laws and regulations in California I had to get certified and licensed to practice in the state. Then I found Bay Area Medical Academy’s no-cost UCSF-sponsored medical assisting program, and it was a 3-in-1 program providing medical assisting, phlebotomy, and EKG training.” For Mariana, the opportunity to gain multiple certifications through one accessible program at Bay Area Medical Academy was an easy decision to make to further her healthcare career.

Today, Mariana has stepped confidently into the workforce as a Hospital Blank Assistant 3 at UCSF Obstetrics & Gynecology at Mount Zion, San Francisco. In this role, Mariana draws directly from the foundational skills developed during her Bay Area Medical Academy training. “The skills and knowledge gained at BAMA I currently use is adaptability and the basics like vitals, how to approach patients, and injection techniques.”

While the technical training was essential, it was the human connections and support system at Bay Area Medical Academy that left a lasting impact. “I had a lot going on during this program. My Tata died, I was hospitalized a few times due to illness, and I had three cousins die, but BAMA always helped me any way they could to stay and pass the program. They were flexible and understanding. My instructor was Ms. Monique, and she has been the best teacher I’ve ever learned from. She really showed us what it was like to work in a clinic setting from a classroom environment.”

Bay Area Medical Academy students gain real-world healthcare experience through their externship. It provides hands-on practice, strengthens professionalism, and helps students understand key workplace expectations such as communication, flexibility, and reliability in clinical settings. Mariana’s externship also became a direct pathway to employment. “My transition was smooth. I did my externship, they liked my work, and I met their standards and got offered a position. I didn’t call in, was flexible with times to come in, stayed longer if needed, and did my job.”

Now, Mariana’s daily responsibilities reflect the full scope of a medical assistant’s role in a busy clinic environment. “A typical workday includes things like setting up the rooms for patients, doing vitals, updating patient charts, setting up for procedures, SPD and Specimen drop off, prior authorizations, stocking rooms, assisting with procedures, sterilization and decontaminating probes, temperature logs, running pregnancy tests, urine analysis, and closing the office up. BAMA and UCSF helped prepare me for the majority of this working day. A lot will be learned at the clinic but as long as you have generalized knowledge the rest can be learned based on what that specialty needs.”

For those considering Bay Area Medical Academy’s medical assisting with phlebotomy program, Mariana offers practical and honest advice rooted in personal experience. “Make sure your schedule is adaptable to changing schedules and unforeseen changes. Make sure you have at least minimum ten months of availability and try not to miss any days or you will be doing the program longer to make up any missed hours. Give it your all and actually study and do the homework; it helps on the NCCT testing. Your attitude and presentation reflect on you and is reported to UCSF and can determine your externship.”

Looking ahead, Mariana’s ambitions extend beyond the clinical setting, guided by the same passion that started it all. “My goal for my future is to have my own health and wellness spa/therapy clinic. The help of Bay Area Medical Academy and UCSF gave me the opportunity to take a step into that direction.”

Mariana’s journey is a testament to resilience, compassion, and the impact of accessible education, showing how determination and the right support system can turn experience into opportunity and purpose into a thriving career.