Life Sciences

With more than 20 hospitals and medical institutions in Northeast Florida, there are plentiful career opportunities in patient care. Amber Gainer, RTR, CT, found her purpose providing patient-centered care as a radiologic technologist at Baptist Health.

“I take pictures all day long,” Gainer said. “There is nothing typical about my job. No two days are ever the same. I like that every day provides a new challenge and a new experience.”

Radiologic technologists perform X-rays and scans on all parts of a patient’s body for a variety of reasons. The images enable physicians to diagnose a disease, an acute condition or an injury. In addition to having the appropriate education in medical technologies, radiologic technologists are licensed and registered.

In 2013, Gainer took part in Tipping the Scale, a nationally recognized mentoring and advocacy program founded by Baptist Health and The Bridge of Northeast Florida. The program pairs Jacksonville high school students with Baptist Health team members who volunteer as mentors. The experience left a lasting impression on Gainer.

“I couldn’t see myself doing anything outside of health care,” Gainer said. “I was drawn to patient care and the sense of helping others.”

Gainer initially considered pursuing a career in veterinary medicine or pediatrics. She began her healthcare career working as a certified nursing assistant (CNA). After two years, Gainer wanted to take her career in a different direction.

Finding the right career resulted after Gainer began searching for opportunities and exploring different career pathways that appealed to her interests. She took advantage of shadowing to explore different jobs and discovered her passion.

“I had a job shadowing experience in the X-ray department and I fell in love with it,” Gainer said. “I knew it was the career for me.”

Gainer attended Florida State College at Jacksonville and Keiser University, where she earned an associate’s degree in Radiologic Technology and a bachelor’s degree in Imaging Sciences. After graduation, she earned her certification from the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists and was eligible to be licensed by the State of Florida.

Gainer returned to Baptist Health in 2019. Radiologic technologists play an important role in patient care. Gainer communicates with patients as well as physicians, nurses and other hospital personnel. Her job requires adaptability and working with others as a team.

“I enjoy being part of a system that helps people get better,” Gainer said. “My goal is to make every patient smile and to make sure I do the best for that patient.”

Gainer continues to advance her career with on-the-job training. In addition to her certifications in X-ray and CT, she is expanding her radiology expertise to include MRI modalities. She encourages everyone interested to consider and explore the vast opportunities in health care.

“There are so many career opportunities in hospitals and health care - more than most people realize,” Gainer said. “If you find something that interests you, pursue it.”

De Chavez works as an Associate Business Analyst at Forcura. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Forcura is a healthcare technology company that creates workflow management solutions. Since the company’s founding in 2012, Forcura has partnered with more than 900 healthcare providers across 9,000 locations.

When De Chavez connected with Forcura at a career fair, the company immediately appealed to her. De Chavez’ mother and brother work as nurses, and she was interested in learning more about their day-to-day experiences. Plus, her family’s conversations about work helped her understand the needs of healthcare professionals and the practical application of healthtech tools.

“They take care of people, and we are able to provide the technology that makes their job a little bit easier. It makes a difference.”

De Chavez and her family immigrated to the United States when she was 10 years old. They moved around to several different states before settling in Florida. After living in many places, De Chavez now calls Northeast Florida home. She enjoys the lower cost of living and a wide range of opportunities here. Plus, she has enjoyed an increasingly vibrant cultural scene and likes the balance between work and leisure that Northeast Florida and Forcura offer.

“The region is growing and expanding rapidly. Between finance, technology and healthcare, there are many different sectors of industry in Jacksonville. There are lots of opportunities to grow and start your career here.”

Once her family moved to Jacksonville, De Chavez attended Florida State College at Jacksonville to earn her associate degree. Then, she transferred to the University of North Florida to complete her undergraduate education. Her years in college provided many opportunities, including two local internships, for growing towards her future career.

De Chavez secured her first internship with Regency Centers, a Jacksonville-based national operator and developer of shopping centers. Her role as an IT intern provided many engaging experiences that helped her develop several industry skills and employability attributes, such as managing time effectively and working under pressure. 

Her second internship was with iVenture Solutions, a leader in the region in managed IT services. In this role, De Chavez shadowed engineers onsite and was able to provide hands-on technical support.

“The role I do requires many skills, like analytical skills, communication skills and some technical skills. I really encourage internships because that is where I learned the skills that helped prepare me for the role I have now.”

De Chavez encourages students and interns to embrace the learning curve as they transition into full-time employment. She advises to take a career one step at a time and be kind to yourself along the way. De Chavez is excited about the opportunities in Northeast Florida for women in technology. 

“We need more women in tech to create diversity within the sector and bridge the gap between men and women in the office. So if you have the skills and the passion to work in technology, I say go for it!”

Loveann Burch entered the U.S. Navy a month after high school graduation and served for 14 years. In 2006, she qualified to advance to the medical personnel team, serving as a Corpsman in Orthopedics. This role is similar to a medical assistant, but with additional responsibilities.

In preparation to transition out of the military, Loveann began exploring educational options. She had taken college coursework throughout her career and wanted to transfer those credits. After careful research, Loveann chose the Biomedical program at Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ), earning a bachelor’s degree in 2018.

The program involves chemistry, anatomy, biology, physics, statistics, organic chemistry, quantitative analysis, scientific writing, critical thinking and communication. Loveann’s hands-on military experience set her up for success, as did the program’s format.

Loveann took hybrid classes, a combination of evening in-class labs and online coursework. As such, she began taking classes prior to fully transitioning out of the military service. This flexibility allowed her to balance family, work, and school commitments. An on-site counselor at the Navy college provided support in navigating both college and military cultures. “They went above and beyond to provide access,” Loveann says.

Loveann didn’t initially intend to utilize the articulation agreement between FSCJ and Nova Southeastern University. However, she decided to take advantage of this unique opportunity and applied for the competitive Nova’s Physician’s Assistant (PA) degree program. Loveann was accepted and will graduate in 2022.

After graduating from Nova, Loveann plans to serve as a Physician’s Assistant in Pediatric Orthopedics. She began orthopedic work in the Navy but also enjoys working with children. She’ll be able to assist babies with club feet and help set broken bones. She says, “Children have such a great bounce-back.” Loveann enjoys the pace of the Emergency Room, rushing in to assist patients with trauma, followed by assisting in the Operating Room. As a PA, she’ll assist throughout the multidimensional process of providing care.

Loveann shares, “Anywhere there’s a physician, you can work as a PA.” She was drawn to the field because her career pathway mirrors that of the military, with its emphasis on work-based learning. PA’s learn by doing. Loveann states that, “Unlike a Nurse Practitioner, a PA can learn a new specialty from a doctor first-hand rather than returning to school for several years. If you need a change of pace, feel burned out or have a lifestyle change, you have options. A doctor will make sure you are completely qualified in that aspect of the medical field. Looking at photos in a book and reading about an experience are very different than encountering a situation with a real person.”

Loveann’s Biomedical training will ensure an interesting career pathway. “It’s a great fit.”