Meet health information management major Dustin Smith

Written byElizabeth Rose-Arcuri

鈥淚 honestly never thought that I would enjoy college this much and be as active as I have been. It is not easy, and we definitely struggle through some classes but, thanks to our professors, we know that it will all be worth it in the end.鈥

欧美三级片 student Dustin Smith is in the health information management program
Dustin Smith
Major
Health Information Management
Hometown
Singer, La.

Where I'm From

I鈥檓 from a small town in Louisiana and came to UL Lafayette because I knew I could succeed here.

Where I Am

I鈥檓 a health information management major, learning how to manage health records for clinics and hospitals.

Where I'm Going

I鈥檓 going to earn my MBA at UL Lafayette after graduation.

Dustin Smith came to UL Lafayette for college because it seemed like the perfect fit.

鈥淚 knew that I would be able to succeed here,鈥 he said. 鈥淭he campus is beautiful, and the professors really care for their students, which 鈥 to me 鈥 is very important for a student鈥檚 success.鈥

That support from his professors made it easy for him to after he realized nursing, which was his original choice, wasn鈥檛 the right one for him. So Dustin started exploring other healthcare degree options.

鈥淎fter learning of the health information management program, I did some research,鈥 he recalled. 鈥淚 learned all the different things you could do with a degree in health information management. I knew right away that this was the program that I needed to be in.

鈥淎 lot of our responsibility as health information management professionals will revolve around the electronic health record and making sure information is input correctly,鈥 he continued. 鈥淚 look forward to being a part of a team that helps the medical professionals spot errors and avoid situations that could be detrimental to the patient, staff, and facility.鈥

Studying Health Information Management at UL Lafayette

Because of the health information management program鈥檚 smaller size, Dustin gets to know his classmates and professors better 鈥 and they get to know him.

鈥淒ue to the size of the health information management program, we get more opportunities to work one-on-one with our professors, and that has helped tremendously,鈥 he said.

鈥淚t is refreshing to really be able to know everyone in your class and be able to communicate with each other, which really makes studying for those big exams a lot easier.鈥

Because of commitment to his classes, Dustin earned the Eddie V. Cooksey Scholarship from the .

Outside of his classes, Dustin is a member of the , which has helped him prepare for life after graduation.

鈥淲ith the Health Information Management Society, I have managed to really get to know my professors and classmates more, but it does not end there,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 look forward to meeting other health information management professionals at the conventions that we attend, where we have the opportunity to get our name out there and possibly land a job after graduation from the connections we make now.鈥

Dustin knows his hard work will pay off. When he graduates with his degree in health information management, he鈥檚 planning to at UL Lafayette.

鈥淚 honestly never thought that I would enjoy college this much and be as active as I have been,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t is not easy, and we definitely struggle through some classes, but thanks to our professors, we know that it will all be worth it in the end.鈥

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