A Journey in Healthcare
Preston Brewer wasn’t sure what he wanted to be when he grew up, but a job shadowing opportunity led him to begin a journey in healthcare.
“My high school had a job shadowing event, and I chose to shadow a phlebotomist,” Brewer said. “That career sounded the most interesting to me and started me on my career path.”
After high school, Brewer completed his college program and began working as a phlebotomist for three years, but he quickly realized he wanted to be more involved with patient care. So, he studied to become a certified medical assistant (CMA) and began working at Lee Bariatric Surgery, a Texas Health Physicians Group (THPG) practice. He is planning to begin nursing school next spring.
Pedro Cervantes, Brewer’s practice manager, is not surprised by his decision.
“Preston has always shown great initiative and a desire to be more involved with our patients,” Cervantes said. “He even stepped up to teach pre-op and post-op classes when our dietitian left.”
Learn more about Brewer in his own words.
How do you do your life’s best work at THPG?
Helping people and being dependable is something I cherish, and working as a CMA for THPG allows me to accomplish that. When it comes to bariatrics, our team develops a one-of-a-kind relationship with our patients. We are helping each individual to feel empowered to take their life back by becoming healthy and resolving illnesses.
What is the biggest challenge of your work?
I think I may be speaking for any individual that is involved with healthcare regarding our biggest challenge. As healthcare workers we MUST be selfless. When we come to our place of work, we put ourselves aside to serve others. Whatever problems we are facing in our own life, we leave them at the door of our workplace. Sometimes it is very difficult to do this, but if we humble ourselves to see the bigger picture, I believe this is where we can give patients their best experience and care.
What do you do when you’re not at work?
I enjoy being outside, and summer is my favorite time of the year. Whether it is doing yard work, walking my dogs, fishing, bike riding with my girlfriend, or attending rock concerts, if I can be outside, I’m happy.
If I am stuck indoors, I love to build gaming computers and read! I’ll read anything Stephen King.
What best practices have you or your department implemented to improve efficiency?
We are always reading studies regarding vitamin deficiency and proper supplementation. Bariatric patients have completely different gastrointestinal anatomy after surgery, so vitamin supplementation and lab work are a very crucial component to a healthy lifestyle for them after bariatric surgery.
How do you live Our Texas Health Promise: Individuals Caring For Individuals, Together?
By being a team player. My co-workers are awesome, and they share the same drive as I do to help others. We are not afraid to take on a new challenge if it will benefit our patients. We are a well-oiled machine when working together, and seeing our patients succeed gives us the gratification that can only be found in healthcare.
