At just 15 years old, Ava Horbacz knew she wanted to become a Radiologic Technologist. Today, six years later, she’s living that dream as a Radiology Tech at Riverwood Healthcare Center.
Ava began her journey while attending McGregor High School, taking college-level classes in 10th grade to prepare for a future in radiology.
“My first medical technology class helped me learn medical terminology and gave me a great introduction to the healthcare field,” Ava shares.
By her senior year, Ava had earned her associate degree and joined Riverwood’s Radiology Department as a Scheduling Coordinator—giving her a behind-the-scenes look at how the department operates.
After a year in that role, she enrolled in the Radiologic Technology program at Lake Superior College, completing her clinical rotations at Riverwood in Aitkin.
“Being familiar with the department and staff really helped during my clinicals,” she says. “I quickly learned that taking x-rays is very different from scheduling them.”
During her second year of the program, Ava became certified as a Limited Scope X-ray Operator, taking x-rays independently on weekends. Now a fully certified Radiologic Technologist, she performs a variety of imaging exams.
Ava enjoys the problem-solving aspects of her job and the strong sense of community at Riverwood. “I love working here—it feels like one big team. I’m so grateful that Riverwood supported my choices and offered me employment.”