Two years ago, Anton Anderson was ready to make a change. Answering the call to help his community, the long-time Tallahassee resident followed his family’s footsteps, working as an EMT for about ten years. But he knew more open doors were out there, if only he found the key.
“My granddad, he was the chief of the fire department here in Tallahassee, my dad is a paramedic, so it kind of just ran in the family,” Anderson said. “I always wanted to do more. I never wanted to stay an EMT, and I kind of got comfortable, but I always wanted to push myself to do more to help people.”
In search of that key, Anderson enrolled in the Associate of Science in Radiologic Technology program at Keiser University Tallahassee. After spending a decade working in hospitals and emergency rooms, Anderson says radiology felt like the next step.
“I was so used to seeing people in their worst days,” Anderson said. “With radiology I just felt comfortable doing that, and they’re the eyes of the hospital. We do a lot to help the hospital out.”
The Radiologic Technology program prepares students for entry-level positions producing radiographic images. Students also gain an understanding of medical terminology, patient care, radiation protection, radiographic procedures, and image evaluation.
Anderson says the education he received at Keiser University was one of the best school experiences he has ever had.
“The learning environment, the instructors were incredible, everyone cared, everyone helped each other out,” Anderson said. “Clinicals, paperwork, everything here, it taught me to stay on task and always be prepared.”
Keiser University’s Chancellor, Arthur Keiser, Ph.D., says the university is committed to its students’ professional growth and providing them with the tools to reach their goals.
“Anton Anderson is an example of the passionate and dedicated allied health students we have at Keiser University. These students go on to serve their communities, providing high-quality health care and filling critical work force positions,” Keiser said. “We are proud to help build their educational foundations and to see them excel in their careers.”
Anderson graduated in 2022 and is now working as a Radiology Technician doing Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy procedures, which is the process of breaking up kidney stones with shock waves.
This new career, he says, was the key to even bigger open doors.
“After I got this position and graduated, my life turned around,” Anderson said. “I introduced a new baby to the family, I bought a house and got married. It was a big change in my life that was good.”
Keiser University is a private, independent, non-profit university serving nearly 20,000 students at 21 Florida campuses, online, and two international sites. Co-founded in 1977 by Chancellor Arthur Keiser, Ph.D., and Evelyn Keiser, Keiser University currently offers more than 100 degrees from associates to the doctoral level. Keiser University is a member of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities and was ranked No. 1 in the U.S. in Social Mobility by U.S. News and World Reports in 2023.
