Doskey: I think that's something that is really unique about Mayo. I've known people that have started right after high school and worked through different career advancements throughout their whole career here.

Narrator: This is the "Mayo Clinic Employee Experiences" podcast, where we build trust and belonging through the authentic storytelling of our Mayo Clinic staff. In this episode, you will hear Emily, a clinical nurse specialist, and Mathew, an EHR support analyst, discuss their experience participating in educational offerings at Mayo Clinic to advance their career.
Mehnert: I’m happy to discuss my experience with Mayo Clinic's ability to promote education. I started here almost freshly out of high school. I was part of the Professional Development and Advancement Program (PDAP), and that's what allowed me to be able to obtain my associates. Once I was able to get my associates done, that's right around the same time that they opened up the Career Investment Program (CIP).

Taking into consideration that on my mother's side of the family, the highest education level is the associates I want to pave the way, pave a path for the future, my future generation. About two years ago, I applied to the CIP program and I got enrolled for a bachelor's in data science. And it's been a great experience so far.

Doskey: That is such a needed career. As a nurse, I interact with those individuals all the time, and I am just so grateful that we have people in so many different areas of Mayo Clinic that are so knowledgeable and specialized in their areas.

I actually started as a nurse back in 2014 and it was always a dream of mine to work at Mayo Clinic. I got a job here in 2016 after my husband started graduate school here. After working for a few years, I started to think about going back to school. I started to apply to go to school.

I started working as a clinical resource nurse at the same time as I was in school to become a clinical nurse specialist for graduate school. I worked in that training position and had the mentorship the whole time with different individuals, especially in the cardiology department and many different clinical nurse specialists that helped basically train me and I was able to use what I was learning while in school put directly into practice.

That was such a unique opportunity and I think, a unique role that Mayo has. I originally started in the PDAP program like you did and then about two years left in school, they were able to open up the Career Investment Program. So I was able to apply for the clinical nurse specialist track and got in. If you would have asked me back in high school, I don't know if at the time like finishing an RN, I just thought that would be the major accomplishment in my life and being able to go as high as graduate school and finish my doctorate degree in nursing has just been such a blessing and I still can't believe I was able to do it.

Mehnert: I totally agree. If you were to ask me what I wanted to do back in high school, back to even during my associate I'm going to be a professional soccer player, and I've never joined a league.

From even just maybe a year or two ago from right before we started our education, that it may not have even been a thought of this is something that we're capable of doing. This is something that we had the opportunity to do. It is an adjustment. And I think your experience will absolutely vary from mine. But did you ever feel there was a kind of a juggling act or a balancing act between work and school?

Doskey: It was such a balance to work full time and then also go to school part time to full time depending on the semester. That is a balance and it's really hard. Family and friends and your colleagues that help support you along the way really make a difference.

Most of my graduate school happened during the pandemic, and so that really added a lot of complexity to an ever-changing healthcare system and what your clinicals were going to look like and the different requirements to get different places.

Mehnert: My associate was in computer information technology. So when going to school I was in an administrative role. During that time I've done a lot of the front-end responsibilities. So for me, my education and my work were never really directly related. I think it was just a matter of my interest in computers has always been helping or supportive factor. I don't mind spending 20 hours additional a week studying the applying knowledge. It definitely took up some of my hobby time.

And you mentioned that your husband was going through graduate school and does he work here at all?

Doskey: My husband was part of the Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. So he finished his Ph.D. actually, right about the same time as myself. You will get back to a lot of the hobbies that you have and get back to things that you enjoy. I know it does take time though, when you are in school.

Mehnert: I was going to say that my girlfriend she actually just finished up her certificate from the CIP program for research. Now she's within the research department and with the opportunity for CIP, she's actually going back later this year to start her master's in a science field.

Doskey: That's really exciting. Congratulations. I think that's something that is really unique about Mayo. I've known people that have started right after high school and work through different career advancements throughout their whole career here. Really the possibilities are endless. If you find that this is your calling and there's resources to help you. They're investing in our teams.

Mehnert: Absolutely. It is exciting and there's maybe a little bit of an understanding when you're both going through school. You both know and understand the hardships. You both understand, I need this space, I need this resource, I need this time, this quiet time, we both need a break. Let's go ahead and decompress. We'll go for a drive and hit the books again. It's a good experience when you're both going through it together because you can both empathize with the experiences that come with higher education.

Doskey: Yeah, I think if you have someone that can help support you through it because the journey is not always easy, and the obstacles that you have to face are challenging. One thing I'm really grateful for with the Career Investment Program is that they've been able to partner with so many local universities and colleges throughout the U.S. and mine happened to be one of them. It made my clinical experience so much more streamless, and I didn't have to have that added stress of trying to get my clinical setup.

Mehnert: The position that I'm currently in right now is also thanks to the fact that I was able to obtain my associates.

Doskey: There's so many different opportunities out there and I'm a huge fan of education and if you can have someone assist you, it's such a financial stress that is taken off your shoulders for like myself and my family. You can focus on your studies and that financial piece is taken out of it.

Mehnert: It was a little nerve wracking when you find out some of the metrics in terms of being grateful for the opportunity for CIP and being able to apply and understand that you're being gifted the opportunity for that free education, for that opportunity for growth. Being given this opportunity, you definitely don't want to waste it because this opportunity is something that somebody else could have had the same chance to do. I feel like maybe that's adds to some of the pressure that I feel when I go through these courses. I just want to make the most of the opportunity.

Doskey: I think that's like the biggest piece of advice that I would give to someone that was thinking about going back to school is when it gets hard, it's worth your time to do it, but make sure you have a good support system so your friends, your family, your colleagues that will help support you along the journey.

Secondly, that education is always a gift. And when it gets hard to remember that it is this gift that you've been given stop and pause and appreciate we have such an opportunity here to advance ourselves and I feel very fortunate for that. I wish that for others around the world.

One other thing is if you apply to the CIP program, and don't get it the first time to try not to let that get in the way of your educational goals and reapply again in the future. It can be competitive sometimes and know that there's so many options out there to help you with the financial burden of education, so whether that be scholarships through your educational institution or maybe it's scholarships through Mayo Clinic. In the Department of Nursing, there are amazing scholarships from different benefactors that are available for individuals to apply. Make sure to be flexible with however you're able to look for financial assistance to go back to school.

Mehnert: I totally agree. Do you have any other goals that you plan on trying to obtain?

Doskey: I'm really enjoying my work as a clinical nurse specialist and I do have some career goals to publish some of the amazing work that our nurses are working on right now and get to some conferences. I think that's my biggest goal right now and it's important that we're able to share it with the rest of the world.

Mehnert: In terms of that higher education for me, I never really understood how high I really wanted to go. But I think after going for my bachelor's and I have been supported from a plethora of people, friends and family, I think I really want to go for my master's. Seeing my girlfriend do her research for hers and understanding the career paths that open up and you do have a specialized education. I definitely want to be able to continue to grow. And if anything, I'm proud of my work ethic. I know that if I were to continue to climb the professional ladder, I would be able to, in my mind, do great things. And I think I can only be able to climb as high as I'm able to apply myself and that education capacity. I don't know where it ends. However, I know that after my bachelor's I will definitely take the opportunity to go for my master's at a minimum.

Doskey: I'm really excited to see where your career goes for you and your girlfriend. I wish you luck in your career, but I also wish you the opportunity to take a break if you need it. So don’t burn yourself out.

Mehnert: I hear that a lot.

Doskey: Yeah. You don't have to do it all at once. I did my RN and then had about a five year gap before I went on. You're allowed to take a break if you need it.

I also want to thank my family and my friends and colleagues and all the nurses that it's an honor to support and improve their practice on a daily basis.

Mehnert: My mother, my sister have been a huge support in my education, my girlfriend as well. And the person who recommended me for this podcast, he is also a great inspiration. If you apply yourself the right way, then not even the sky's the limit. There's so much more past that, so I just want to say thank you to all of them.

Doskey: Yeah, I hope whoever is listening you feel inspired to accomplish your educational goals and know that the Career investment Program is an option to help you get there.

Narrator: Thank you both for sharing your experience with us and utilizing your resources at Mayo Clinic to advance your career. We wish you all the success in your future goals at Mayo Clinic. Sharing experiences like these increases our understanding of one another and ultimately contributes to finding connections, belonging and inclusion at work. For more stories, subscribe to "Mayo Clinic Employee Experiences" on popular podcast apps.