Meet Cynthia, Plastic Surgery Medical Assistant

Announcer (00:09):
Welcome to another episode of The La Jolla Cosmetic Podcast with your host, Monique Ramsey.

Monique Ramsey (00:16):
Welcome everyone to The La Jolla Cosmetic Podcast. I'm Monique Ramsey, and my guest today is Cynthia. She's a medical assistant here at La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Center. So welcome, Cynthia.

Cynthia (00:28):
Hi, Monique. Good morning.

Monique Ramsey (00:30):
Good morning. So tell us a little bit about how you help patients in our practice.

Cynthia (00:36):
Certainly, so I'm one of the front receptionists, so I'm one of the first faces people see when they come in. I also assist with blood draws if anybody is ready to start the skinny program, I also do the blood draws.

Monique Ramsey (00:51):
So tell me a little bit about what's the path to that education and what kinds of things you learn and what you're trained to do.

Cynthia (01:01):
Okay. Well, I've been doing this for over 10 years. I knew right off of high school that I wanted to be a medical assistant, so I did the career program. Though there are programs in universities that take longer, this is just a more fast paced program because I knew what I wanted to do from the beginning. I've worked with chiropractors, family health centers, veterans, and now I'm here at La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Center.

Monique Ramsey (01:31):
A little bit of everything, and that's kind of nice because it gives you a broad background of health issues and different people and different veins for the blood draws your job when you're in the clinic helping with the nurses and stuff. What else are you doing in that role?

Cynthia (01:54):
So I also help with scheduling, answering phone calls, just assisting patients, like rooming them as well. There's days that I'll help the doctors too with follow-up procedures, so you'll see me everywhere, front back.

Monique Ramsey (02:11):
She's a jack of all trades.

Cynthia (02:12):
Yes.

Monique Ramsey (02:15):
So how long have you been with La Jolla Cosmetic?

Cynthia (02:17):
I am three months shy now. So far it's been the best experience of my career. It's like no other job I've ever had, and I just love how everything's very hands-on and you get to see a lot of interesting people. People you normally wouldn't see at a regular doctor's office, which is amazing for me. I love to talk to people, so interacting with patients that are coming in here for me.

Monique Ramsey (02:46):
Oh, that's nice. So tell me some of the highlights so far in your three months, have there been any standout moments?

Cynthia (02:53):
I want to say for me, the highlight of this job is seeing patients coming prior to their surgeries, and you can see the glow that they have after they're coming out of surgeries and as they're recovering, you can just see the difference in their persona, how much the surgery has changed them. And to me, it's just one of the reasons why I picked this career. I want to help people out. I want to make people happy and make them feel better. And what better way to assist them in their surgeries and recovery?

Monique Ramsey (03:26):
Yeah, I think we're in such a unique part of medicine that it's all positive. People aren't really sick, thank goodness. We're not dealing with major health issues. We're dealing with when somebody is choosing to make a change for themselves and to maybe give themselves more confidence or for whatever reason that they're doing something for them. And you're right, it is sort of a very positive and emotional, it's a good warm fuzzies kind of experience.

Cynthia (03:59):
It is. It's very much the fuzzies.

Monique Ramsey (04:02):
So before you joined us, what was it that made you want to make that leap into this part of medicine? The aesthetic side.

Cynthia (04:10):
I was working with veterans and they're amazing people seeing what they do as well with their service and all. But I wanted something that was more fast paced, something that was different from all the other jobs I had in the past. The moment I walked in through those doors and I met Janelle, I'm like, this is it. This is where I need to be.

Monique Ramsey (04:31):
Yeah. Tell me your first impressions when you walked through the door, what were you expecting and what did you actually see?

Cynthia (04:39):
I had no expectations. I was coming in with just an open mind and just, I'm just going to go for it and see what am I applying for. Basically, I kind of knew what I was going for, but not what I expected. So when I walked in, you get a home feel base. It doesn't feel like a normal doctor's office where you have your receptionist and then the waiting room and it looks all cold. You walk in and it feels like you're walking in into your living room. And every single staff member that I've worked with so far is amazing. It's a wonderful experience and feeling to wake up every morning and be ready to get everything going and just working with very optimistic people. It's honestly good for the soul.

Monique Ramsey (05:25):
I like the way you put that. It's so true though. You want beauty in your surroundings and you want that home feeling because we spend a lot of time at work in our life. We spend a lot of time at work, and it's so important that that's a positive fulfilling. It fills your cup rather than drains your cup. That feeling. And I think that we've had so many long time employees. I hired Janelle way back 19 years ago, and I hired Yvette 19 years ago, and there's these people still here, and Amy was even before Janelle and Yvette came. And so we have so many long-term employees and I think that helps lead to that family vibe, and nobody wants to be in a negative environment, so it's kind of fun to be feeling like you're at home and having that nice warm congeniality with your coworkers.

Cynthia (06:24):
Yes, it is very much like family here. I cannot get enough of coming in here and just spending time with positive people. It's a different ambiance when you walk in, you can feel it. I've heard patients as well, like, oh, it looks so different. It was nothing what I expected. And I'm glad to hear that.

Monique Ramsey (06:43):
Marie, our CEO, she said to me way back, now I'm going on 30 in November, will be 34 years working with La Jolla Cosmetic, but I remember she said one time patients come in and they take the emotional temperature of the surroundings and sometimes you don't know why. If you go into an office, you go to a business and it doesn't feel right, but you don't know why you can't put your finger on it. It's that emotional, taking the emotional temperature. And so having that, that's probably what you felt like it was a good vibe. It was like, oh, this is nice. This is not what I expected. So would you say that that's the right way to describe it.

Cynthia (07:27):
Yes, that it's very much that you walk in and you're in good hands, you're surrounded by good people. All the doctors are amazing as well. The staff is very welcoming. It's very important that the patient also feels comfortable. So that's one of the reasons why I just love being here.

Monique Ramsey (07:47):
Oh, that's nice. Well, I hope we get to have you for another 20 years.

Cynthia (07:54):
Yeah, right. Or 30.

Monique Ramsey (07:56):
Yeah. So being in the medical field for so long, what has been the biggest standout about plastic surgery and how different it is to the other specialties?

Cynthia (08:08):
I would say the confidence people get. Obviously when you go into your primary care office, you go in with, let's say you have a cold and you're going in for medication, but this is more so changing the persona itself. You want to do this because it's elective and obviously patients are scared, you're nervous, but to be surrounded by staff members and doctors that are willing to help you out and then go the extra mile, not just being there from eight to five and you can't get ahold of them after hours. Everybody here is, we're always just a phone call away.

Monique Ramsey (08:46):
So Cynthia, tell me a little bit about you. Where did you grow up?

Cynthia (08:50):
So I was born here in San Diego, born and raised, but I did spend the first few years of my life in Mexico. So my first language is Spanish. I lived in Mexico until I was seven. I started school here right off kindergarten, not knowing any word of English. So it was a culture shock coming in here, just seeing how different the cultures are. And since seven years old, I haven't left. I've been back here. I'll still go to Mexico every now and then, but San Diego's been my home and I love it. It's like no other city.

Monique Ramsey (09:26):
I agree. Now I'm a native San Diego as well, so not that I have anything to compare it to, but I feel like even though it's a big city in a big county, it's a small town. It has a small town feeling, and you'll run into the same people or you'll be like, oh, I know that person. And it's just not that sort of big city culture. Now, what do you like to do outside of the office?

Cynthia (09:53):
I like to read. I like to hike. Spending time with my family is honestly my favorite thing to do, whether it is we're going on a hike or we're going on a family vacation or just watching movies and just relaxing with my family. I love being surrounded by my family. They're very important to me. So being here at work, it also feels like being with family. So this job has brought me into a much better state of mind. Everything I do now is just with content and full heart. And it is hard to say that when everything around you might be going against you, but being here and just being with family, it really makes me truly happy. It's like I don't know how to put it into words.

Monique Ramsey (10:44):
Oh, you gonna make me cry. That's so nice. Okay, reading. Tell me about what kind of books you like to read. What's your favorite genre or author?

Cynthia (10:54):
I don't have a genre per se that I'm drawn to. It's just anything that grasps my attention, I'll just start. And then it's hard to stop. So once I start a book, it's like I have to finish the book. My favorite book I would say would be The Giver. It's a sci-fi book. They do have a film on it though. I would say the book is way better than the movie.

Monique Ramsey (11:21):
Books tend to be so much better, like painting a narrative or giving you in your head how you're picturing that scene. And then sometimes you watch the movie and you're like, no. Or they left out

Cynthia (11:36):
A bunch of parts of it.

Monique Ramsey (11:37):
Yeah, yeah. That are really integral to the story. I remember thinking that when I saw the first Harry Potter movie, it was the first movie where I was like, this is how I pictured it in my head when I was reading the book. I think they did a really good job with those. So when you read read, do you actually read books or do you listen when you're in the car or both?

Cynthia (11:58):
I'm not much of an audiobook person. I like reading. I'm old school. I like to have the book in my hand. Something about the smell of the book too. It just makes me feel happier on the inside. And I feel like the, I don't know, the audiobooks just they don't give me that connection with the book and the characters.

Monique Ramsey (12:18):
Yeah. It's so funny that you say that. I was going to bring in about the way books smell. This is so funny. So at my book club years ago, somebody's like, oh, where'd you get the book? And she's like, oh, I went to the library. She goes, but the books at the La Jolla library smell, they smell kind of funny. We had a whole sidebar discussion about how books smell. It was just the funniest thing. And then you're still talking about smelling, but it's true. Holding the paper, having that book in your hand, there's something about that sort of nostalgia and you're blocking out the rest of the world. I find that even though on a Kindle, I can make the text bigger and not have to wear reading glasses or something. It's not the same as holding a book, even though you're holding the Kindle. And if I listen to them, I have to remember to not let my brain wander somewhere else and how to stay focused and how to not fall asleep. The other thing will happen to me. So, alright, let's talk about with the hiking. Tell me what are some of your favorite hikes around San Diego? I've been wanting to get out and try some hikes, but it's almost intimidating if you don't go out very often.

Cynthia (13:27):
Yeah, I would start with Mission Trails over here in Santee. It's a very slight slope, so you'll feel the difference as you're walking, but it's easier on the knees and the legs, especially for somebody that's just beginning to hike. I would do that if you were looking more so for the view than the hike itself. Torrey Pines is also a beautiful walk. It's very famous here in San Diego as well, especially for people that are coming to visit San Diego for their first time. I would say Torrey Pines, it's a great hike. If you're looking for something a little bit more difficult, I would go with Cowles Mountain. It's a staple here in San Diego as well. If you're looking for a challenge, I would say potato chip rock or Mount Iron in Poway, those are a little bit longer. There are more steeper. There're more rocks. You usually have to be careful where you step, but the view at the end, it's worth it.

Monique Ramsey (14:22):
I love it. Well, thank you. Okay, so Mission Trails, that's worth level one. Level one. I'll start with that because as a native San Diego, you would think we all know everything, but we don't know and we don't always explore our own city. So I think that's fun. Now, if you were telling somebody who's going to come to San Diego for the first time, if you only had a weekend, where would you tell them to go or what would you tell them to see or do?

Cynthia (14:49):
Food wise, I'm going to say you have to the tacos, try a taco shop because I feel like our taco shops are different than most California taco shops. I mean, we have this quote unquote beef with LA with who has better taco shops, but we are closer to the border, so I would say we would be the one. Belmont Park is such a great experience too. It's just a little shore walk in Mission Beach. I would also recommend Sunset Cliffs. It's also a staple of ours, or if you are not into putting your toes in the sand, but you want a nice view, Sunset Cliffs is such a beautiful place to just relax and actually enjoy the sunset. You can see a bunch of people during sunset hours just lining up and taking in the moment.

Monique Ramsey (15:36):
Yeah, one of the places I like to go is on a walk on La Jolla shores, and then you can walk along La Jolla shores and then there's the pier, the Scripps Institute of Oceanography. There's a pier and it's so pretty to just sort of stand under the pier and look straight down at the ocean. And if you get there during sunset and a couple times a year, the sun actually lines up perfectly and there'll be like a hundred or 200 or 300 photographers trying to watch that moment of, and I can't remember what they call it, but it's sort of like that kind of solar eclipse moment where it's like everything's lining up perfectly and the sun sets right down the middle of the pier and that's a really fun thing too. Tacos my favorite. Literally if somebody said, okay, what's your last meal? Tacos, it would be Mexican food for sure. Hands down, I could eat it every day. So where are some of your favorite taco spots?

Cynthia (16:31):
I want to say Taco Asadero. That's my number one spot.

Monique Ramsey (16:35):
So good. My kids and I have gone down there several times,

Cynthia (16:38):
Though, I've recently tried City Tacos. They have several locations here in San Diego too. It's a nice twist to the regular taco that you're used to.

Monique Ramsey (16:47):
Alright, because my son's coming back into town. He's living abroad right now doing his PhD.

Cynthia (16:52):
Oh, wow.

Monique Ramsey (16:53):
Yeah, so he's been gone since Christmas, and so they're coming in a couple of weeks and I'm like, I know they're going to want their tacos because London does not have tacos. Or if they do, it's actually comical. He sent me some pictures of some food.

Cynthia (17:06):
They don't look like tacos.

Monique Ramsey (17:08):
No, no, no, no, no. So okay. City tacos. City tacos. That's a new one for me. All right, we'll have to do that. So before we wrap up, I want to talk to everyone out there who's listening now. If you subscribe to our podcast, all you have to do is show your phone, show that you're a subscriber, and we're going to give you $25 off of any purchase of products of 50 or more. And we have Alastin products. And so tell me, Cynthia, I know you've only been here a couple of months, but have you tried Alastin? And if you were going to say, okay, use your $25 off coupon, what would you have them?

Cynthia (17:44):
I am in love with the cleanser. It's very soothing on the skin, and I have acne, so it's hard to find a good cleanse that doesn't make you break out. I have been breaking out the past few days and it's been helping me with my acne, so I would really recommend that. Also, the Ultra Pro Moisturizing Cream, it has a tinted

Monique Ramsey (18:07):
Oh yeah, the hydra tint, I think Hydra tint Pro SPF. Right, right. Oh, that stuff is the best. It's almost like a light makeup.

Cynthia (18:16):
Yes.

Monique Ramsey (18:17):
And it seems to work on just about every skin tone. Unless you are really dark, maybe that wouldn't work as well, but it blends so beautifully. Yeah, it's a good one.

Cynthia (18:27):
Yeah, those two are what I'm gravitating towards lately. Every morning I'm like, I have to get these two on my face.

Monique Ramsey (18:34):
Yeah. Yeah, that cleanser is really nice. It feels so, you're right. Well, it's called Gentle Cleanser, but it feels that way and your skin feels so good afterwards. It's not stripping too much oil. It's not overcorrecting. And so I just heard about another product, which I didn't even know we carried. They have a scrub, like a facial scrub. Amy was telling me about it yesterday, so now I have a new one to try.

Cynthia (18:57):
Okay.

Monique Ramsey (18:58):
Okay. So everybody in the audience that use that $25 towards something, just show us that you subscribe when you come in the office and we'll hook you up. Well, everybody in the audience, thanks for listening or watching if you're on YouTube, but we are, every single week we bring you another episode, we're either going to take you behind the scenes at La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Center, or you're meeting the people, talking to the doctors about different procedures. So thanks everybody for listening and watching and share us with a friend. We now have been doing this for four years, and we're coming up on our 200th episode. So thanks everyone, and we'll see you on the next one. Bye.

Announcer (19:39):
Take a screenshot of this podcast episode with your phone and show it at your consultation or appointment, or mention the promo code PODCAST to receive $25 off any service or product of $50 or more at La Jolla Cosmetic. La Jolla Cosmetic is located just off the I-5 San Diego Freeway in the Ximed Building on the Scripps Memorial Hospital campus. To learn more, go to ljcsc.com or follow the team on Instagram @ljcsc. The La Jolla Cosmetic Podcast is a production of The Axis, theaxis.io.