Surgical Technologist Alum Breaks Free with a Concorde Degree

One day, Aldo Botello was busy at work, performing the job he'd always been told was his destiny. He was born and raised in a family of construction workers, and it was always understood that he'd follow the family tradition.

Until this one hot day in Texas, when he decided he'd had enough.

A New Future Starts with a Single Choice

"I just decided, I do not want to do this anymore," Botello said. "I dropped my hammer and picked up the phone and called Concorde."

Three months later, Botello was enrolled in the Surgical Technologist program at Concorde Career College-San Antonio. What followed were long nights of homework and long days spent honing his health care training skills in the lab.

"I was in awe of all that we were learning," he said. "When we got to clinicals, I had never seen so much blood in my life. But, I knew this is what I wanted to do."

Hard Work Pays Off as a Surgical Technologist 

Botello worked long hours during his surgical tech training at Methodist Healthcare System, in hopes of a job opportunity following graduation. That job offer did not come immediately, much to Botello's dismay.

"I was really disappointed," he said. "But, I visited Val Martinez (Senior Graduate Employment Specialist at Concorde-San Antonio), and she counseled me and lifted my spirits. She encouraged me to apply for every hospital in Bexar County."

Soon after, however, the opportunity came knocking. Methodist called and offered him a job as a scrub tech. Then, while working as a surgical technologist at Methodist, he received a call and second job offer from Nix Medical Center. Once again, he sought the counsel of Martinez, who advised him to take the job offer while not burning any bridges at his former place of employment.

Tangible Evidence of a Job Well Done

Today, Botello works full time as a surgical tech at Nix and has continued at Methodist on an as-needed basis. He also recently purchased a brand new 2014 truck, which he considers his pride and joy and a symbol of his accomplishment and newfound financial independence.

"I thought I'd never be able to own a new truck," he said. "This I can say is mine. I owe my gratitude to Concorde and Ms. Martinez, as well as the instructors who believed in me when I had given up hope."