Success Spotlights

Meet Concorde - Aurora Alum Lyle Nelson

Concorde Staff

Concorde Staff

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Updated May 31, 2017. The information contained in this blog is current and accurate as of this date.
medical assistant

Today, Lyle Nelson holds a master's degree in public administration with a concentration in human resources management. After earning his diploma in the Medical Assistant program at Concorde's campus in the Denver area, he's well on his way to a career in health care that, a few years ago, he had yet to consider.

It all changed for Nelson about 15 years ago when he discovered Concorde after leaving a telecommunications job with a call center. Unemployed and being supported by his partner, Nelson learned about Concorde and its various health care programs.

"I met with an admission administrator, learned more about the (Medical Assistant) program, registered in August of 2002, received financial aid, and the rest is history," he said.

Nelson said it helped that the Concorde campus at that time still was located more downtown in Denver, near Lincoln Street and Colfax Ave. (it has since moved to suburban Aurora). It was a convenient location he could get to quickly and easily.

Why Medical Assistant?

Nelson said he was drawn to Concorde's Medical Assistant program because of the duality of the profession. Not only did the program focus on the clinical side of being a Medical Assistant, it also focused on the administrative aspect. The opportunity to become a versatile team player within the medical environment and in a position that's universally accepted was appealing, he said.

"I particularly enjoyed the sterile technique classes and specimen collection procedures, but also learning about billing and coding and conceiving how doctors diagnose how they come to such conclusions with human anatomy and physiology," Nelson said. "It was all so fascinating to me. Maybe in another life, I would have gone to medical school and become a physician or certified physicians' assistant or nurse practitioner."

As it turned out, Nelson made the most of his Medical Assistant training he received at Concorde. He quickly gained supervisory and hiring experience at one of the clinics he worked at in north Denver, which led him to think about and pursue further education in human resources management.

Pursuing further education

Nelson returned to school a couple of years ago, and in May 2016 graduated from the University of New Mexico with his master's in public administration with a concentration in HR management in the public sector. He also got his RMA (Registered Medical Assistant) certification reinstated and recently was employed at one of the Centers for Disease Control's regional offices in Albuquerque, N.M.

He said he's currently seeking a position in management in an MA-related health care field.

"I never intend to abandon the (MA) profession," he said. "I'm seeking MA-related positions more associated with advancing into upper management."

The basis for all this ambition and upward mobility, Nelson said, comes back to the Medical Assistant training he received at Concorde.

"Without my experience at Concorde, I wouldn't be where I am today," he said. "Choosing a career in medical assisting is not something you should take lightly. It's a serious position and even can become part of your identity."

It's an identity Nelson is intent on taking as far as he can.

Take The Next Step Towards a Brighter Future

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  1. Program length may be subject to change dependent on transfer credits and course load. Please refer to current course catalog for more information. Concorde does not guarantee admittance, graduation, subsequent employment or salary amount.

  2. Professional certification is not a requirement for graduation, may not be a requirement for employment nor does it guarantee employment.

  3. Financial aid is available to those who qualify but may not be available for all programs. Concorde does not guarantee financial aid or scholarship awards or amounts.

  4. Clinical hour requirements and delivery may vary by campus location and may be subject to change. Concorde does not guarantee clinical site assignments based upon student preference or geographic convenience; nor do clinical experiences guarantee graduation, post-clinical employment or salary outcomes.

  5. Registration and certification requirements for taking and passing these examinations are not controlled by Concorde, but by outside agencies, and are subject to change by the agency without notice. Therefore, Concorde cannot guarantee that graduates will be eligible to take these exams, at all or at any specific time, regardless of their eligibility status upon enrollment.

  6. Externships are a non-paid in-person learning experience, whose length and location may be subject to change. Concorde does not guarantee externship placement, graduation, post-externship employment or salary outcomes.