HPOG Success Story: Danny at Alamo Community College District

San Antonio, TX

Beautiful accidents can happen, but sustained achievements are never the result of chance.

 You could say that Danny Mendez’s engagement with HPOG began by accident. However, the results he’s achieved in the program are the direct result of hard work and determination.

One day, Danny was seeking information about classes at Palo Alto College, part of the Alamo Community College District in San Antonio, Texas. While doing his research on campus, he happened to see a flyer for Alamo HPOG , funded by the Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) program. Danny was intrigued and decided it couldn't hurt to check out Alamo HPOG’s information session. A day that began for Danny with minimal expectations ended with him stumbling into something he had been looking for— an opportunity for a medical career.

Over the course of the next few weeks, Danny completed all the paperwork necessary to enter the program. When he received the good news of his selection, Danny was ecstatic but also filled with anxiety. He knew his classes would prevent him from helping his parents at the family flower shop during the week. Danny’s parents encouraged him to not worry. They understood losing his help at the shop was a small price to pay for the opportunity their son had at a first step toward becoming a professional in the medical field.

Danny enrolled in the medical assistant certification program, as he felt it was the best fit for him. The course work was admittedly difficult, but thanks to the support of his family, Danny stayed focused and earned high marks throughout the duration of the courses. As soon as he successfully completed the medical assistant training, Danny started his workplace training at a medical clinic in San Antonio. It was at this point that Danny knew he was in the right career field.

Danny excelled at the medical clinic, earning high praise and recommendations for employment from his supervisor. The hands-on training and experience Danny gained was invaluable.

His supervisor eventually offered Danny a job contingent on him passing his medical assistant certification exam, which he did on his first try. He was the first in his class to pass the exam, and now he is a certified medical assistant working at the clinic where his on-the-job training began.

Danny’s journey may have begun by chance, but he has been the very model of an HPOG success story.