A former physician from Haiti now works as a medical assistant at Corewell Health after completing a program that helps immigrant healthcare workers rebuild their careers in West Michigan. Alexandra Joseph said the moment she put her stethoscope back around her neck felt like regaining a superpower.

"I didn't use it since the two years that I've been here, and I'm feeling so happy, and I say 'I'm happy to get my baby on my neck again,'" Joseph said.

Joseph fled Haiti after years of violence against doctors in her home country. She arrived in Michigan two years ago with limited English and a medical degree that was useless without the language skills to use it.

"I was victim many times, and I have to leave my country because we kidnapped doctor, we killed doctor, and I didn't feel safe in my country," Joseph said.

The Literacy Center of West Michigan stepped in with its My Impact program, a two-year initiative that offers English language classes, proficiency building, and career certification training to skilled healthcare workers from other countries. Joseph completed the program in six months and landed a job as a medical assistant.

Melissa Reddy, program coordinator for the Literacy Center, said the program has helped more than 100 people since it launched in 2024. The need is urgent. According to the Michigan Health and Hospital Association, there are 23,000 open positions at Michigan hospitals alone.

"The community benefits when we have programs like this. Currently, people call physicians or doctors' offices, and they may wait months to get an appointment because there's such a lack of providers available," Reddy said.

A grant bolsters the program

The Literacy Center of West Michigan recently received a $10,000 grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, the maximum award available. The grant is part of more than $280,000 in literacy funding distributed to Michigan schools, libraries, and nonprofits earlier this month.

"These funds will help educators enhance their instruction and create opportunities that help empower students to reach their full potential," said Denine Torr, executive director of the Dollar General Literacy Foundation.

The Dollar General grant allows the Literacy Center to purchase new technology, books, materials, or software to support its programs.

Why it matters for Byron Center

The Literacy Center serves communities across West Michigan, including Byron Center, Wyoming, and Kentwood. Residents in these areas face the same healthcare provider shortages that affect the rest of the state. Programs like My Impact bring trained medical professionals back into the workforce. They also address the language barriers that prevent skilled immigrants from contributing their expertise.

Joseph said her goal is to become a pediatrician. For now, she is back in the medical field where she belongs.

"It's like a dream for me," she said.