Her Story
About Carrie
My passion for helping people in healthcare started in childhood and was fueled by family members who went through medical conditions during my middle school and high school years. Through those experiences, I was exposed to healthcare providers more intimately and established mentors who really fueled my fire to continue down the healthcare path. As a physician assistant for 27 years, I have worked in primary care settings, women's health, dermatology, plastic surgery, and have now come full circle back to a primary care family medicine setting. I have pretty much consistently precepted students throughout my career because I always enjoyed the education piece and functioning in the role as an educator. About 6 years ago, I had the opportunity to become a faculty member at a PA program opening near my home in Maryland, which allowed me to dip my toes into education even more. It was such a blessing, and I truly enjoy connecting with students. Through my personal journey of lacking financial literacy and financial mentorship through my education, and walking alongside my students, I discovered that we put people in high-income earning roles and assume they have financial literacy and the ability to manage that income well, but that's actually not the case at all. Over the past 6 years in education, I've seen students graduating with $175,000 to $250,000 worth of student loan debt with nobody in their lives to help them manage their future incomes and get out from under that debt. I feel the Lord has put me in this role to see the need, and every time I've tried to walk away from it, he puts somebody new in my face who needs help and pulls me right back. I've given a lot of thought and discernment to it, and I'm taking off with this financial coaching business. Over the past 7 months, I've given financial literacy presentations to over 500 students across the country in different PA programs and talked at 5 different state conferences for physician assistants. People find it so refreshing that somebody is actually talking about financial literacy, because nobody else is addressing it.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Carrie
01What do you attribute your success to?
I would have to say my faith. Honestly, I definitely give all the glory to God, because He has put me in these different situations that have just opened door after door after door that I would have never in my wildest dreams even seen these opportunities coming. And in hindsight, it's 20-20. I had no idea what He was doing at the time when He was putting me in all these different situations, but now it's very clear to me that this was a setup the entire time. I loved education, I loved teaching, I love working with students, and the whole time I had no idea that 7 years from now I'd be starting a financial coaching business. I feel the Lord has put me in this role to see the need, and every time I've tried to walk away from the need, it's like He puts somebody new in my face that needs help and pulls me right back. So I give all the glory to God.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I think it is really just listening to your passion, listening to your calling, and the sooner you embrace it, the more sense it makes. If you take the time and listen to your calling, oftentimes that will align with your passion and the way that you're wired. And then just don't let any doubt and fear stand in the way. I've come to the conclusion that not everybody needs what you have to offer, and that's okay. When I give a presentation to an audience of 100 or 150 people, probably 90% of them need to hear the information, and maybe 5 or 10% already have somebody in their lives that has bestowed some wisdom upon them. But there's a big percentage in the audience that really needs to hear this message. There's enough of them to keep us busy, so don't let that small percentage of people in an audience or in any type of group setting discourage you. I'm going to celebrate those who already have guidance and give them a high-five for the fact that they've had parents or somebody in their life that has already shared this wisdom, and then focus on the other 95% who really need some guidance.
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