The Heart of a Caregiver: How Nubia Argumedo Found Her Calling in Medical Assisting

Helping others comes naturally to Nubia Argumedo; she spent years advocating for children and families in need. When her loved ones became ill, she helped care for them—and her family encouraged her to pursue a career in the medical field. Nubia enrolled in the Clinical Medical Assisting program at SJVC Hesperia soon after, and she graduated in April of 2024.

Nubia’s Clinical Medical Assisting Instructor, Jacqueline Sanchez, recalls Nubia as her student. “Nubia was such a great asset in my classroom,” she says. “She had a positive attitude, even when facing adversity. Her professional experience added insight to the challenges many of her classmates were facing. Her open mindset in learning a new profession allowed her to become who she is today. She is eager to learn and help others every day in the classroom. Her classmates gravitated towards her for guidance, and I felt proud to witness her growth. Nubia has so much to share with the world. I wish her much success in life and in her career.”

Nubia continues to learn every day in her new career. Here, she shares more about her experience as a student, a graduate, and a medical assistant.

What did you do before enrolling at SJVC? 

I was the Unit Supervisor for the Unaccompanied Minor Program at Betheny Christian Services in Modesto, California, for one year. For seventeen years, I was the Team Leader for the Unaccompanied Child Program and Unaccompanied Refugee program  for Crittenton Services in Fullerton, California. These programs work directly with the Office of Refugees and Resettlement for immigration and provide shelter, food, and clothing for undocumented minors from Central and South America, as well as undocumented overseas refugee minors while they await to be reunited with their families in the United States.

What made you want to pursue a career in medical assisting? Were you inspired or influenced by anything or anyone?

I have always had a passion for helping others. I somehow became the caregiver for my grandparents, who I loved very much. When both were in hospice, I remember assisting the nurses who would come to the house to care for them. It was minor things like changing and cleaning them, medication administration, things that were allowed for me to help. I remember my family telling me how I would do good in the medical field.

In 2021, I lost my sister, Gloria, to cancer. I moved to Modesto, California to assist my mother while my sister was home for hospice. One time, while I was helping my sister with bathing and wound care, she said to me that I should work in the medical field. She believed that I would do a wonderful job caring for others as I had with her and other family members. My sister always believed in me and was and still is my inspiration to continue helping others.

How did you find out about the Clinical Medical Assisting program at SJVC, and how did you know it was the right one for you? 

When I returned to Southern California, I researched medical programs. One day I was driving back from visiting some colleges when I saw the SJVC sign on the freeway, and something just clicked and told me, Get off this exit!  So, I got off at the exit and called SJVC from their parking lot because I didn’t know if I should make an appointment or just walk in. The receptionist told me someone would reach back out to me, so I waited in my car thinking, “Well if no one calls back, then I’ll just go home.”

Soon I got the call. On the other end was Mical Buck—the person who welcomed me to SJVC with an open heart from that day forward. It was she who saw my potential and passion for helping others. She made me feel that SJVC was the right place for me. And from day one, Ms. Mical kept her door open for whenever I needed someone to talk to or just a word of encouragement to  remind me, I was going to be okay.

What was the best part of the program? What did you find most challenging? 

The instructors are the best part of the program—their knowledge, the support they provide to students, and how they will not let you give up on yourself.

The biggest challenge for me, I believe, was myself. I thought that at my age I was not going to make it. I saw the younger students and how fast they would absorb the medical information. I thank all my instructors for having the patience to work with me and the encouragement they all gave me to keep moving forward. Not to brag, but I  was able to graduate with a 4.0 GPA!

Did you do an externship? Can you share a little about that experience? 

I completed my externship at Foothill Behavioral Health Consultants. The experience was interesting. Because of my work background, I felt comfortable with the type of population we provided care for. In the first week I learned so much so fast. From front-office to back-office duties, it was incredible. Life outside of a classroom is so different and sometimes overwhelming.

Where do you work now? What are your responsibilities? 

I work at Dr. Mike’s Walk-In Clinics. I am going on my fourth month now. I work in the back office as a medical assistant. I was hired at Dr. Mikes but not through the typical job interview. I was assisting Ms. Sanchez, one of my instructors, with an open house event at SJVC and ended up sitting with Marco, an administrator for Dr. Mike’s clinics.

We began sharing stories about our work experiences. Marco asked if any of us had completed the program and were interested in a position at Dr. Mike’s. I offered my services, and he simply said, “Come to training on Monday morning and you are hired.” I’ve been there since.

I am very thankful for Ms. Sanchez, who was always thinking of me to help with school events. I think she always knew where I needed to be. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity that  Dr. Mike’s Walk-in Clinics has given me to start my new career.

Do you have any words of advice for someone who is just starting the program?

Keep the lines of communication open with your instructor. Do not give up even when it gets overwhelming. Find a group of students that you can study with and help each other out. Always be kind to others and offer your help to the ones that will come after you. Do not miss a day of class, because you will miss a lot. Lastly, do not ever, ever forget who you are, where you are coming from, why you are here now, and where you want to go.