Dana Carlson works for Essentia Health Family Practice and Pediatrics in Duluth as a certified medical assistant. “I take care of patients along with the providers I work with. My favorite part of my job is when a patient requests to have me again to give them or their children their vaccines or to be in the room to help their child feel comfortable and lessen the fear they may have with a vaccine or procedure.”
She serves on the LSC Advisory Committee for the medical assistant program. “I love promoting medical assisting within our community and to our younger generation as a great stepping stone to be a part of the medical field.”
Carlson always wanted to work in healthcare but took a career detour. “I worked many years after college in retail management, including as a buyer. I took care of people but on a superficial level.”
Carlson graduated with high honors in 2016 from Lake Superior College’s medical assisting program despite many personal challenges, including adopting a baby boy and losing both of her parents and a grandparent within the same year. “I never missed much school even through all of my trials and tribulations. My husband, family, school friends, advisors, and instructors were my saving grace. I wanted to do well for myself and to show my family I could do this, so I was never going to give up, even in the toughest nine months of my life.”
Carlson plans to become a medical assistant instructor in the future. “I am passionate about coaching and teaching. I thrive on helping others reach their goals. I will continue my education so that I can teach someday give back to LSC what the college and the wonderful people there gave me for a new career.”
