HARLINGEN, Texas An adoring relationship existed between Harlingen resident and Navy veteran Lucia Zifko and her grandfather, who was afflicted by a heart condition. Since his death, her main goal has been to get a Texas State Technical College degree in a healthcare field.
Zifko looked into medical careers involving electronics before enrolling in TSTC’s program. She is now attending TSTC’s Harlingen campus to earn an Associate of Applied Science degree in Biomedical Equipment Technology, becoming the first member of her family to do so.
During her time in the Navy, she worked as an aviation electronics technician. “I thought that the degree programme would be a good fit for my knowledge.”
The veteran also attended TSTC many years ago for educational purposes. In 2016, she graduated from Harlingen Early College High School (now UTRGV Harlingen Collegiate High School) as a certified nursing assistant through TSTC’s dual enrollment program.
At the school where she is currently enrolled, Zifko is having a great time learning about biomedical equipment technology.
According to her, “classes are informative, and labs are engaging.” She said. The Navy gave me a solid foundation in electronics, and now I’m applying what I’ve learned there.
She praised the program’s instructors for their ability to make learning new material fun.
According to her, they are “extremely detailed in their instruction.” They also let us know about job openings and internships that are currently available.
Zifko has found a unique way to remember the man who inspired her to continue her education.
That’s how much he’s missed, “she said of her grandfather’s passing. “Now I have a tattoo of the heart’s anatomy in his memory.”
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical equipment repairers in Texas make an average yearly salary of $49,000. According to one website, the allied health field is expected to grow by 12 percent in Texas over the next decade.
TSTC’s Harlingen and Waco campuses each offer an Associate of Applied Science degree in Biomedical Equipment Technology.
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