Turning Self-Doubt Into Purpose: Lessons I’ve Learned in Healthcare and Leadership
From Self-Doubt to Inspiring Others: A Healthcare Leader's Journey of Growth and Mentorship
If there is one thing I have learned throughout my journey in healthcare and education, it is that confidence is rarely something people start with. Most of the time, confidence is built through uncomfortable moments, hard work, failures, and simply continuing forward even when you are unsure of yourself.
Growing up, I always thought I wanted to become a doctor. My mom was a nurse in Mexico, and hearing her stories inspired me to pursue healthcare from a young age. I admired the way healthcare workers could comfort people during difficult moments and truly make an impact on someone’s life. However, as I got older, I realized life does not always follow the exact plan we imagine for ourselves.
While attending Running Start at Columbia Basin College, I discovered the medical assisting program, and that became my entry into healthcare. I graduated in 2018 with a degree in Medical Assisting and quickly began working in different healthcare settings, including urgent care and Spokane County Jail. Those experiences taught me lessons that no textbook ever could. I learned how important adaptability, communication, critical thinking, and compassion are when working with patients from all walks of life.
At the time, I believed success only meant climbing higher clinically, but eventually I discovered something unexpected: my true passion was teaching.
About a year ago, I became a medical assistant instructor at Charter College, and it completely changed my perspective on leadership and success. I realized leadership is not about being the loudest person in the room or having all the answers. True leadership is about helping others believe in themselves, especially during moments when they are struggling to see their own potential.
One of the most rewarding things about healthcare education is watching students transform. Many students walk into class nervous and overwhelmed. Some doubt whether they are smart enough, capable enough, or strong enough to succeed in healthcare. I understand that feeling because I have experienced it myself. I know what it feels like to compare yourself to others or question whether you belong in certain spaces.
What I have learned is that growth happens when we stop waiting to feel “ready” and start giving ourselves permission to try anyway.
As women, we often place limits on ourselves before anyone else does. We convince ourselves that we need more experience, more credentials, or more certainty before pursuing opportunities. But some of the greatest accomplishments in my life happened because I took chances before I felt fully prepared.
Today, I serve as the Lead Medical Assistant Instructor, oversee externships and clinical preparation, and mentor students preparing to enter healthcare careers. I am also a BLS Instructor for the American Heart Association and am currently pursuing my Bachelor’s degree in Health Administration. As a first-generation college student in the United States, these accomplishments mean even more because they represent years of perseverance, sacrifice, and belief in possibilities greater than my fears.
One of the biggest lessons healthcare has taught me is that success is not about perfection. In healthcare, mistakes become learning opportunities, difficult situations build resilience, and uncomfortable moments build confidence. The same applies in life.
I often tell my students to “shoot for the stars” because the worst thing that can happen is hearing no. Even rejection creates opportunities for growth, improvement, and redirection. Too many people allow fear to stop them before they even begin.
Healthcare education today also comes with challenges that many people do not see behind the scenes. Students are balancing work, children, finances, mental exhaustion, and personal struggles while trying to succeed in demanding programs. Because of this, educators have an important responsibility not only to teach skills but also to encourage resilience, professionalism, and self-confidence.
I believe one of the greatest opportunities in healthcare right now is mentorship. The next generation of healthcare workers does not just need instructors who can teach from a textbook. They need leaders who can encourage them, relate to them, and remind them that growth takes time.
Outside of my career, I am also a wife and mother, and those roles continue to shape the way I lead. Becoming a mother taught me even more about patience, empathy, balance, and purpose. It reminded me that success looks different for everyone and that women should never feel forced to choose between being ambitious and being nurturing. We are capable of both.
If there is one message I hope people take away from my story, it is this: Do not underestimate yourself. Sometimes the person standing in your way is the version of yourself that is too afraid to try. Opportunities can completely change your life, but only if you are willing to step outside your comfort zone and believe you deserve them.
You do not have to have everything figured out to become successful. You simply have to be willing to keep growing.
