(844) 468-6236Right. Left. Right. The third baseman sprints across the field in an effort to outrun a 90-mile-per-hour ball. A waiter swiftly makes his way around the tables in a crowded restaurant to deliver another long-awaited check. Another FedEx package arrives on time after a journey many never come to think about. An Uber turns around the corner to drop off another satisfied customer in another part of the world. A man reluctantly schedules a trip to a military recruitment office, ready for his life to take yet another turn. The baseball player, restaurant employee, delivery person, taxi driver, and potential recruit are all the same man— Robert Anderson.
With at least five different careers to date, he is living evidence that the road to success is far from easy or obvious. It’s filled with options, but not always full of fulfillment. However, it is never too late to make a change. Rob’s advice to the world is to pursue every interest no matter the stage of your career. Whether it be left, right, straight, or backward, go whichever way your heart desires. It was this philosophy that first drew Rob to the military, but it was also this philosophy that prevented him from ever making the trip.
Before life took him in a different direction, Robert Anderson’s first dream was to work in healthcare. Although he worked with Uber, FedEx, in the foodservice industry, and even as a professional baseball player overseas, Rob originally studied Health Science and Exercise & Fitness. A real “people person,” he explored his options for patient work early on, but quickly concluded that none were sensible for him, in terms of time commitment and finances. Thankfully, he had other paths to pursue.
Rob learned a lot from his many jobs, but none were quite right for him. While he loved the sport, he felt playing baseball wasn’t giving as much to fans as he wished he could. Although Rob enjoyed meeting different people in restaurants, Ubers, and at their doors, he felt he always could do more. Rob wanted to serve people in a bigger way than he had before. That’s why the navy appealed to him on some level. However, on the fateful week of his appointment, instead of finding a job in the military, he found Stephanie.
The morning before his life-changing decision, the two old friends bumped into each other, by coincidence. As they caught up, Robert explained to Stephanie that he always wanted to help people, but medical school wasn’t an option. He went on to tell her what he planned to do the next day, and she responded that he would do no such thing. She told him about a patient care option he never heard of— one that she chose as her own profession— IONM. Stephanie recommended CEN’s program. Rob skipped his appointment. And now, his career-shuffling days are over.
Today, Rob is finally able to give people the care he always wished to, as a Surgical Neurophysiologist. Over his many different careers, he has received much appreciation from fans and customers alike. But he proudly says that none compare to the gratitude he receives from patients daily. Working in IONM, Rob also gets to meet different patients and connect with other healthcare professionals who share his passion. He takes great pleasure in putting people at ease in the moments before their surgery, and he takes even greater pride in keeping them safe. After a long, exciting road with many turns, Rob finally found a career in which he is happy to stay. So, whether it be left, right, straight, or backward, go whichever way your heart desires until you find your IONM.