Your first healthcare job can be the start of a career you never imagined. On this episode of Voices of Vital Care, host Nohelani Graf talks with Meiko Onken, chief executive officer of Banner Casa Grande Medical Center, about her path from Pima Medical Institute radiography student to hospital leader.
Onken didn’t begin with a plan to become a CEO. After high school, she was studying psychology at a community college and wondering what direction to take. A career fair introduced her to X-ray technology, and a professor pointed her toward Pima Medical Institute. When she first walked into a hospital as a student, she knew she had found a place where she belonged.
She spent years working in imaging, learning mammography and breast sonography before joining Banner Health. There, she began to see how her experience at the bedside could help her improve care across a department. She took a lead technologist role, then grew into positions with greater responsibility. Along the way, she returned to school for her bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
“I’ve never been like, ‘Oh, I’m going to be the CEO.’ That was never me,”Onken says. “I just wanted to really make a difference in the next level.”
Onken also talks candidly about the parts of growth that don’t follow a neat timeline: applying for jobs she didn’t get, taking longer than expected to finish a degree, and sometimes wondering whether she belonged in the room. Her advice to people starting out is to learn from the role they’re in now and stay open to what comes next.
“You have a time frame in your mind, and life does not run at that time frame,” she says.
In this episode, you will learn:
- How Onken found her way into radiography when she wasn’t sure what career to pursue
- How experience in imaging opened the door to new specialties and leadership roles
- Why support from colleagues and mentors mattered throughout her career
- How constructive feedback helped her grow as a leader
- Why she chose to continue her education as her goals changed
- What she looks for in new healthcare professionals
- How she handles self-doubt, even as a hospital CEO
Who this episode is for: Students exploring allied health, healthcare professionals considering their next step, and anyone whose career has taken a different path than they expected.
The opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the host and guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of Pima Medical Institute.
Beyond the Episode
Onken’s story shows how much room there can be to grow from a first role in patient care. Her education gave her a way into the hospital. The skills, relationships and experience she built there helped her recognize new opportunities when she was ready for them.
Ready to learn more? Explore Pima Medical Institute’s Radiography program or how to apply to take the first step toward your own healthcare career.
