Becca Scharmer was excited when she got into the new Adult Echocardiography program. Her original plan was to come to SCTCC for Sonography, then cross-train for echocardiography once she entered the workforce. But, as luck would have it, she was able to start her preferred path right away.
“The right door opened to just fast-track to echo,” she said, smiling.
Becca hasn’t always had a fast-tracked experience. After graduating from high school, she went to a four-year in Wisconsin with plans to be a teacher like her mom—she quickly learned that college was more expensive than she expected. One way she thought to offset costs was to join the military; she moved back to Minnesota and enlisted in the National Guard. It’s been almost eight years since Becca enlisted, and her experience has helped her explore in more ways than she expected.
“I like that in the Guard, I’m not a medic or anything. You can be a jack of all trades and let different parts of yourself shine,” Becca noted. “It allows me to have different learning opportunities and skill sets and apply them to the civilian world.”
As far as formal education, the past eight years have been gradual. After moving back to Minnesota, Becca took a gap year, attended a year at St. Cloud State, then realized she didn’t know exactly what she wanted to do. After working in childcare and understanding that was not for her, she came to SCTCC to complete her AA. It was here that she settled on Adult Echocardiography.
Her experience in the National Guard was instrumental in her decision to go into healthcare. Interactions she’s had with others have made her more empathetic and open-minded, and in turn wanting to help others: “The conclusions I drew on probably 75% of the people around me were completely wrong.” The people she’s met have surprised her at every turn and made her check her stereotypes, from a woman carrying on family tradition to a man fleeing Guyana for a fast-tracked naturalization process.
And two life experiences helped her narrow the healthcare field even more.
When Becca was small, she had a heart murmur. Her mom took her to have an echocardiogram done, and what Becca remembers is how amazing the cardiac tech was. The murmur turned out to be nothing, but the experience was a positive one for her.
Then when she was pregnant, her daughter’s arm was tucked into her armpit for the entire ultrasound scan and they couldn’t confirm if she had an arm. After a follow-up scan, the sonographer printed out multiple pictures for Becca to put her mind at ease.
The way the healthcare professionals acted made an impact, and she wants to make sure that others have the same positive experiences, whatever the outcome is.
“It’s not always positive news. The experience in the Guard has helped me learn how to handle different situations as needed. I use humor and keep a poker face, then navigate the situation from there,” she shared. Whatever reactions she might encounter in either her unit or in her future career, Becca has learned to take a moment and consider the person behind the situation.
Like other elements in her life, developing empathy wasn’t something Becca fast-tracked. She is quick to admit that she used to judge quickly, but since joining the National Guard, the exposure to different kinds of people and their backgrounds has helped her understand people beyond the surface. No matter how fast it’s taken, this is just the start of how her life has been affected.