Jasmine Thornton
Comer Children's Hospital
Chicago, IL USA
"Listen to your heart. Do not be afraid to switch careers at any time during your journey. There’s never a clear path in the journey of life."
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Jasmine's work combines: Medicine, Science, and Helping People
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
My mother and grandmother are nurses. They influenced my cousins to become nurses. They tried to influence me too. I thought nursing was the only path for me. I went to school for nursing and realized that it was not a good fit at all. Once I started doing my own career research and taking personality tests to learn about my interests, I discovered a path that was more ideal for me. I encourage others to do the same. Listen to your gut and do what's right for you, regardless of what others say.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Associate's Degree
Science
Moraine Valley Community College
Associate's Degree
Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist
Moraine Valley Community College
Life & Career Milestones
I've taken a lot of twists and turns
1.
Both my mother and grandmother are nurses, so nursing has always been on my mind for my own career path.
2.
I initially went away to college as a pre-nursing major, but didn’t feel like the school was right for me, so I transferred into the nursing program at a community college back home.
3.
That nursing program wasn’t a great fit either, so I decided to complete my associate’s degree in science instead, and became a preschool teacher.
4.
I loved being a preschool teacher, but I knew that I ultimately wanted to go back into healthcare, so I went back to the community college to take some more classes.
5.
After researching potential careers through a career development course and finding an interest in chemistry, I started thinking I’d like to work in cardiovascular perfusion.
6.
I discovered that working in perfusion requires you to either be a nurse or a respiratory therapist—I already knew nursing was not for me, so I applied to a respiratory therapist program at my school.
7.
While in school, I got an internship at Comer Children’s Hospital, which really helped me gain insight into what I’d be doing once I graduate.
8.
I now work as a respiratory therapist at Comer Children’s Hospital.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Family:
You need to become a nurse.
How I responded:
My mother and grandmother are nurses. They influenced my cousins to become nurses. They tried to influence me too. I thought nursing was the only path for me. I went to school for nursing and realized that it was not a good fit at all. Once I started doing my own career research and taking personality tests to learn about my interests, I discovered a path that was more ideal for me. I encourage others to do the same. Listen to your gut and do what's right for you, regardless of what others say.