Navy Veteran Has a New Mission

US Navy Veteran and Medical Lab Scientist Amy Berger

“I enjoy the great teamwork, atmosphere and culture at OSF HealthCare. I can have the worst day at work and still can’t wait to get up and come in the next morning,” said Amy Berger, a United States Navy veteran and medical laboratory scientist with OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center. “I feel accepted and very much loved. The Sisters are very respectful of who you are and what you believe. You don’t have to be religious to fit in.”

Amy joined the OSF family in 2013 after completing her education. She maximized the experience she received in the Navy.

“I was a reactor operator on the Theodore Roosevelt, a carrier based on the East Coast. The military trained me to be trainable and pay attention to detail. I use these skills on a regular basis in the blood bank,” she said. “You need to watch for the smallest things and be very detailed orientated.

“Prior to joining the Navy, I had some hospital lab experience, and I decided to get back into that setting. I attended Northern Illinois University and did my clinicals with OSF. I didn’t know OSF prior to my clinicals, but I never left after the experience.”

Amy encourages veterans to search for civilian careers outside of their specific military training.

“I think that vets feel like they cannot do something different or start over, but that’s not the case. Vets need to look in unexpected places,” said Amy. “I’m working in a completely different field than what I was doing in the Navy. There are a lot of veteran resource centers out there to help you go back to school or find a job. I found a career that matched my science background.”

As an affirmative action employer, OSF HealthCare invites all veterans to search osfcareers.org for available positions.

Last Updated: February 15, 2018

Follow Us on Social Media

About Author: David Pruitt

David Pruitt is a writer for the Marketing & Communications division of OSF HealthCare. He has a bachelor’s of journalism from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and worked as a reporter before joining OSF HealthCare in 2014.

An avid golfer and fisherman, David was born and raised Alton, Illinois, which is where he currently resides with his son, James.

View all posts by

Tags:

Categories: Working at OSF