GNTC student is all smiles about her future
A Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) student faces the future with an associate degree in Medical Assisting and a new smile.
Jessica Motes completed the program at GNTC’s Floyd County Campus in Rome on July 9 and will graduate in December. Motes, a native of DeKalb County, Ala., and current resident of Chattooga County, took her credential test on July 25; she received a job offer during her externship and started work as a medical assistant at Harbin Clinic Family Medicine on July 29.
“I got interested in this field when I graduated high school and started taking care of my grandmother until her passing,” Motes said.
Her interest in the Medical Assisting field grew after that, and she was working for the Floyd County Health Department when her father was diagnosed with cancer.
“That is the moment that I knew I wanted to go to college and better my life and career,” Motes explained. “I realized I could help more people and that I would be able to give back to the community. Before the passing of my dad in October, I promised him that no matter what happened I would graduate from college.”
After she chose her career path, GNTC’s Foundation stepped in to facilitate her dental makeover, she said.
Motes said she has struggled all of her life with gum disease and brittle teeth that would break too easily. Once Motes found a dentist with whom she felt comfortable, the GNTC Foundation helped to coordinate the extraction of her broken and brittle teeth, fitting Motes with a partial denture and finally completing her new fillings and crowns.
“Before my teeth were fixed, I felt like my smile was holding me back from obtaining the career I wanted,” Motes said. “Now I’m not afraid to go to a job interview because I’m not worried that the person is judging me because of my teeth.”
Now she cannot stop smiling, she said.
“Jessica was always very thoughtful, considerate and smart,” said Jennifer Stephenson, instructor of Medical Assisting at GNTC, who met Motes during her first semester of classes. “She worked very hard and always completed her work completely and accurately; however, she lacked self-confidence because of her bad dental health.”
After Motes had the dental procedure her second semester, her self-confidence greatly increased, which improved her competency performance related to patient interaction and role play, Stephenson observed.
“Jessica was always very compassionate and empathetic during those encounters,” Stephenson said. “After her dental procedure, she was always smiling, which is something she never did before. Her speech also improved significantly.”
Motes said she feels better about herself and, as a medical assistant, is eager to help patients to feel better, too.
Motes believes her education at GNTC has prepared her for her new career. She always felt supported as a student at GNTC and strove to excel in her courses, she said. She has been on the President’s List while a student at GNTC.
“My journey at GNTC has definitely had its ups and downs,” Motes said. “My instructors and the other instructors walking through the halls always asked me how things were going and encouraged me to stay motivated even when things got tough and I wanted to give up.”
Tracey Mercado, program director, assistant dean and instructor of Medical Assisting at GNTC, also noted Motes’ growth and accomplishments, adding that Motes was initially hesitant and unsure about her place in healthcare.
“As she delved deeper into the Medical Assisting curriculum and gained a command of the subject matter, she participated in the Medical Assisting competition at the 2024 SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta, which allowed her confidence to flourish,” Mercado said. “It is clear that her growing self-assurance and mastery of the material have empowered her to embrace new challenges and opportunities that she might have once shied away from.”
Motes said she was intrigued because the competition would utilize skills she had learned in her classes and she had never competed in a big competition like that before.
In addition to her Medical Assisting degree, Motes has also earned a diploma in Medical Assisting, as well as certificates in Clinical Office Assistant, Medical Front Office Specialist and Health Care Science.
Debi Autry is the WIC administrative assistant and nutrition assistant at the Floyd County Health Department, and also serves as assistant to the director of the Georgia Department of Public Health Northwest Health District’s WIC program. WIC is the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. Autry got to know Motes when she came to work in the department’s call center. Autry said the job is demanding because call center personnel need to be so knowledgeable about the program.
Motes was compassionate, looked for ways to do more and worked hard. Diligent about helping others, she was often the first to arrive at work and the last to leave, Autry noted.
“Jessica carried a lot of responsibilities at home and with her family when her father died,” Autry said. She was regarded as a co-worker and friend who was liked by all the staff, so they were disappointed when she left the health department and were also excited that Motes was going to further her education and career.
“We all knew that Jessica wanted more for her life,” she said. “I’m thrilled she is doing well and wish her much success in her career.”
Georgia Northwestern Technical College provides quality workforce education to the citizens of northwest Georgia. Students have the opportunity to earn an associate degree, diploma or a certificate in aviation, business, health, industrial or public service career paths. This past year, 12,241 people benefited from GNTC’s credit and noncredit programs. GNTC has an annual credit enrollment of 8,031 students and an additional enrollment of 4,210 people through adult education, continuing education, business and industry training and Georgia Quick Start. GNTC is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate degrees. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, as set forth in its student catalog, GNTC complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed or religion, national or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation and gender identity), disability, age, political affiliation or belief, genetic information, veteran or military status, marital status or citizenship status (except in those special circumstances permitted or mandated by law). Equity Coordinator, Title VI, Title IX, Section 504 and ADA Coordinator: Brittany Elrod.
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