1 (888) 768 6861

Request Info
Apply Now
A smiling healthcare professional in blue scrubs with a stethoscope around their neck stands with arms crossed in a modern building with large windows.

From CNA to Pharmacy Technician: How One Student Turned a Passion for Medicine into a Career 

Emily Bradshaw

Published: | Last Updated:

# ,
Tiffany Gardner

Bryan University graduate Tiffany Gardner always knew healthcare was where she belonged, but as a full-time CNA, she knew she didn’t love her current role.  

What really got her excited was the clinical side: learning about medications, understanding how treatments worked, and one day becoming a physician assistant. The only problem? She needed to go back to school without giving up her job 

She needed a way to gain new skills while working full-time; somewhere legitimate, flexible, and actually focused on preparing students for real careers in healthcare.  

That’s when she started her search for a school and stumbled upon BU’s Undergraduate Pharmacy Technician Certificate program.  

Always Drawn to Healthcare, But Stuck

Healthcare was always the goal for Tiffany. She’d done some caregiving work, but what really pulled at her was the medication side of things; the clinical, the pharmaceutical, the precise.  

“I kind of dabbled in caregiving and stuff like that, but I really was into learning the medications. But I worked full time, so I couldn’t find a program that allowed me to do the work to learn and still work.” 

Traditional programs weren’t built for her schedule. So, she kept looking.  

Related: Pharmacy Technician Skills Hiring Managers Want in 2026 

Finding Bryan University

She researched several schools before landing on BU. What she said pushed it to the top of the list was the financial aid support and a quick start date that didn’t require her to wait around. At BU, we have start dates every four weeks. 

Still, she had some real concerns going in. Was this a waste of money? Would this advance her career? Would she actually walk away with the skills and knowledge she needed for her goals? 

She says what she experienced put those concerns to rest quickly.  

“My experience was great,” she said. “Everyone was very thorough. My success coaches checked in on me if they saw I wasn’t online or hadn’t turned in an assignment. They were like, ‘Hey, are you okay?’ I think that really motivated me to keep going, because it’s easy to get lost in the sauce and forget to turn in assignments. But people were active, always checking in on me, and I appreciate that.” 

That proactive support, she says, made a bigger difference than she expected.  

Making It Work: Schedules, Study Habits, and Staying Focused

The adjustment period was real. Fitting a new program into an already full life takes recalibration. A change in her work schedule midway actually helped because it gave her more room to build a consistent routine. 

“I use Quizlet a lot. I’d get the study guides the instructor gave us and then generate my own and use flashcards, especially with the calculations and math. Pharmacy has a lot of formulas and conversions. I also booked with the tutors about once a month. I got to know a couple of them well, and we’d just get on and talk through things, and they’d explain it really well.” 

She also used phone-locking apps to cut down on distractions and was careful not to push too hard for too long. 

“I was just so inspired to get this done, that really drove me. When I sat down at the computer, I was there, doing my work. But not so much that I’d burn myself out. I’d do maybe an hour or two, then get up, do something else, and come back to it. I just didn’t want to burn out.”  

More Connected Than She Expected

She assumed online school would feel like school at a distance. Not as involved, impersonal, easy to feel like you weren’t really a student. But she says that’s not what she got at all. 

“It feels like you’re there on campus. You feel involved. They have merch and stuff. I really felt like I wasn’t missing out on the college experience. Being online could feel like, oh, I don’t feel like a real student because I’m not commuting to campus or doing campus activities. But they really made it feel like you’re actually there. There are a lot of things to participate in, clubs and stuff. Even with peers, we connected offline too, chatting and everything. It’s a really good community, which surprised me for an online school.”  

The Moment It All Hit Her

Finishing her last exam felt good. But the moment that made it real came later, when something arrived in the mail. 

“It felt really good, but it didn’t really hit me until they mailed my diploma. It was kind of a shock when I opened it. I was like, oh my God, this is my diploma. Having it physically in my hand; that day I cried. Because you don’t know, as a student, how much you go through. The FAFSA, sacrificing time with friends and family because you have work to do. And now you have it physically, and you can go into the workforce and work in the field you went to school for. It’s the best feeling ever.”  

What Came Next

She was already working as a CNA at a hospital when she graduated. Shortly after, she was promoted to pharmacy tech intern at the same hospital, in the field she’d spent her program preparing for. 

“I’m a pharmacy tech intern at my hospital now. I was promoted from being a CNA to that. I’m learning inpatient hospital pharmacy. It’s a slower start because I told them I just graduated. But they’re working with me, which is really nice. It’s just a fun experience learning.” 

She’s not stopping there. Since completing her certificate program, she’s earned her CCMA certification and enrolled back at Bryan University, this time in the Associate Degree in Administrative Medical Assisting.  

She’s planning to stick with BU through her bachelor’s degree. Her ultimate goal is to become a physician assistant.  

Instructor Shoutout

When she reflects on what made the program work, the instructors come up immediately. 

“My instructors are very active, the most active I’ve had in my entire academic career. Every week there’s an announcement. They’d text me just to check in. I was a strong student so I didn’t need much help, but I could tell that if I was struggling, they would have been there. They were always sending out study guides, holding open hours, and offering extra chat time. There was no instructor where I was like, ‘oh.’ Everyone was very open and friendly.”  

What She Wishes She’d Known

If she could go back and tell herself one thing before starting, it would be this: time moves differently in an online program, and that’s a trap if you’re not careful. 

“How easy it is to lose track of time. In person, someone tells you what’s due, and you come back to do it in class. Online, you have a week to do all your assignments, it’s to your discretion. It’s easy to say, ‘oh, it’s Thursday, I’ll get it done,’ and then it’s Sunday, and you haven’t touched anything. And it’s not just about grades. If you don’t submit, your financial aid is in trouble. A lot of things are on the line, so it’s vital to stay proactive and keep turning in your assignments, because it affects your financial health too.”  

Advice for Anyone Considering the Program

Her first piece of advice isn’t about study tips or time management. It’s about being honest with yourself before you start. 

“You have to sit with yourself and really see if this is something you want to do. A lot of it is mind over matter. Sometimes we feel like we can’t do something unless we’re really passionate about it. For me, medicine and pharmacy were that passion, and it drove me every day to keep going when I didn’t want to, or when I thought maybe it wasn’t worth it. Make sure you’re making the right decision for you, not for other people. If you feel like you check all the boxes, go for it.” 

Her second piece of advice is don’t walk in with tunnel vision. 

“Look at everything. When I came in, I was set on pharmacy tech, I didn’t know how many other programs there were. They have programs all the way up to master’s degrees. Look at the whole catalog, then talk to an academic advisor and see what fits you best. There’s a lot more than you might think.”  

She came in hoping to advance her career in healthcare and that’s exactly what she did. She graduated, got promoted, and enrolled again. 

“Bryan University is an awesome school. I want to say thank you to everyone who helped me throughout my journey from start to finish. I tell anyone they should join the program and make sure they finish. I really loved my experience here and that’s why I came back, and I’ll continue to come back.” 

Recommended: 

Share this content

Request Information

And Get a FREE Career Brochure

Terms of submitting this form: I agree that Bryan University may contact me regarding educational services via email, telephone, SMS text message, or automated technology at the email address and phone numbers provided. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency may vary. Text STOP to cancel anytime. This consent is not required to enroll. For questions, call 1 (888) 768 6861. Visit our Privacy Policy.

← Return to Bryan Newsroom