Cardio Technology Pioneer Grad Paves the Way for Future Anderson College Students

Dan Salvacion has been a dedicated healthcare professional for over a decade, on two continents, and has embraced every opportunity to take his career and care specializations to new levels for patients, and students. As a pioneer of Anderson College’s Cardiology Technology (CT) diploma program, Dan is passionate about the training opportunity he received as a new immigrant, has leveraged it for a thriving and evolving career, and continues to give back as a clinical instructor.

We had the distinct opportunity to sit down with Dan and ask him about his journey to here, background in healthcare, what it was like being one of the first to train with Anderson’s CT program and how today he works to pave the way for future cardiology technologists and finally, his advice for aspiring students.

Truly a fascinating interview, filled with inspiring insights that will fan the flames on your ambitions if you’re looking to make a significant difference in the lives of others, and design a career and life in the thriving field of healthcare.

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Dan’s powerful ambitions began in the Philippines, but it didn’t come easily, and we think his awe-inspiring work ethic began right there.

“I started with a health science education, then I studied midwifery, and then took nursing. Although I wanted to, I didn’t take nursing right off the bat because I didn’t have the money; I had to claw my way to make all of those things a reality. So, when I was working as an associate within the health science education field, I was teaching to pay for my midwifery. Then when I became a midwife, I was hustling delivery babies to pay for my nursing school. This made way for me to embark on my Master of Public Health in Manila.”

From diligent student to midwife, then nurse, to PSW, MLT, delivery guy for a bakery to make ends meet, then cardiology technologist and now a soft tissue specialist poised to become a naturopathic doctor, Dan is no stranger to drive and determination.

“I immigrated to Canada with my mom. I was already a medical professional from back home, but as a new immigrant, as you know, you can’t work in the healthcare field with your certificates from another country. So, I started from zero. The good thing is, I know how to start from zero.

“I began working as a personal support worker (PSW) to make ends meet, but it didn’t work well because at the time there were no regulations. I was getting paid a low wage, and I just thought, “I can’t do this, I have to do more.” So, I switched to a new career as a medical laboratory technician (MLT) and began doing research in Scarborough. Unfortunately, that company went bankrupt. I couldn’t find work in my field at that time, so I took a job in a bakery to make ends meet, but honestly (maybe not surprisingly), I thought, “You know what? I can’t become a baker”.”

But luckily it connected Dan to precisely what would come next, and as fate would have it, set him up for a lifetime of experience and contribution to those in need.

“I was delivering bread to a cafeteria, and I met this man one day as I dropped off the order; he was smiling, friendly. Every time I delivered bread, there he was, smiling. I began to wonder, “Why? Why are the people that work here always smiling? And how come the people that come out of this building are always smiling?” So, I inquired as to what this place was. I learned it was a school – Anderson College.
I immediately said to myself, “You know, I think it’s time to change; I want to be that happy. And this is when I discovered Anderson and the Cardiology Technology program.”

We asked Dan about the process for getting accepted into the very first cardiology technology program Anderson College offered.

“I think they interviewed around 200 people and only selected 20. I was one of the lucky ones that got selected by Heather Peart, the Chair of the Cardiology Technology program. I was actually quite afraid of Heather back then because her confidence level is off the charts. But actually this served me, because I started to imitate her way of being, I learned from her confidence.

“As a pioneer program, you can imagine, there are a lot of requirements to become officially approved, to receive accreditation. The program was incredibly tough, we even did our clinical rotations in that same year, and Heather was strict in ensuring we followed through with what was required. She really wanted this first batch of students to be splendid when they came out of the program; she wanted us to shine.

“There came a time though, that the pressure got to me. You know those movies when the protagonist gets defeated and walks off in the rain. Yes. I was like that. I almost walked out of that program because I kept failing. I kept failing to a point that I felt that I wanted to quit. Fortunately, there were two Anderson staff members, one of which is Miss Denise, she’s the director of student services today, and they helped me get back on track. They helped me just stop what I was doing to myself, they gave me one more chance, and gave me a path forward. From that point, my life did a 180. I got the best job there is at My Health Centre, where I currently work. And then I actually started teaching, and I still teach, as a clinical instructor for Anderson College. One of your current instructors, Ani, was my first student ever. I’ve trained a lot of people from Anderson; it’s just that I want to give back for what they offered me.

“I graduated from the CT program in 2017 and I loved what I was doing at time, but after about a year I felt like I had already reached as far as I could go. I was earning good money, had a successful career doing procedures and teaching. But once again I thought, “You know what? I can’t stop. I need to do more.” And that’s when I decided to pursue med school and the path to get there.”

Dan doesn’t stay still for long, perpetually pushing himself to new levels of experience, adding to his skills, matching his talents with his ambitions, and taking his service in healthcare to new levels. We asked him about where his goals will take him next.

“I found a Connective Tissue Specialist pioneer program, offered by a collaboration of three schools, one in Spain, one in United States, and one here in Canada. They wanted people with a medical background, who worked in the field already and I joined six other pioneering students. I began this program in 2018, and continued working my clinical and teaching jobs from 8:00 to 4:00 everyday, and then studied every night.

“Fortunately, the education I received from Anderson, what I learned in the CT program, provided me with a solid foundation because to become a connective tissue specialist you need to know the nerves, the veins, the circulatory system etc … Thanks to Anderson, plus my background knowledge and experience, I had this covered. So, when I did that program, I just sped through it, with a lot of additional hard work, of course. I passed all my exams. I just graduated on February 18, 2023, and now can actually practice either in Europe, here in Canada or in the US. I’m thrilled to say as well, that this pioneer program was actually approved three months before we graduated.

“And this next part … I only let four people know, my wife, my mom, Miss Heather, and my boss who gave me my job at My Health Centre … I let them know they are talking to a new doctor already. I will be starting Clinical internship soon. I got a spot here in Toronto. Actually, I was offered seven slots. I didn’t even apply! I got offered a slot in Spain, in France, British Columbia, Saskatoon, in the US and here in Toronto.

“That’s the beauty of being a pioneer. When I was a pioneer of the cardiology technology program, I had choices as well because I was the first one. Now our program is approved, and I’ll be one of the first ever who have that specialty here in Canada.”

As this area of specialization is obviously so new, we wanted to know precisely what a Connective tissue specialist is.

“Connective tissue specialization is a branch of physical medicine. A doctor of Naprapathic medicine can also be referred to as Neuromyologist. But the specialization is unique in itself because it’s called “Naprapathy or Naprapathic Medicine”.

At this point, there are only two states in America that have started regulating this profession. And here in Canada, our graduates will be the first ones who will have that designation in Canada and who are going to be Doctors of Naprapathic Medicine here.”

Dan had some wonderful feedback for Anderson College and some expert advice for those looking to explore this field and career path …

I’m still thankful to Anderson College, that’s why I wanted to share my story and my experience. There are a lot of talented and passionate people out there who are just waiting for a chance. Anderson’s Cardiology Technology program offers the skills and training in an efficient manner. It’s fast, it’s modularized, it’s segmented in a way that makes the students ready for the outside world of work. I think this, the hands-on preparation you receive while here, that’s where the core of Anderson’s success with students lies.

“We know quality students are coming out of the program. And as the first graduates of CT, we’ve developed a sense of camaraderie, a connection to Anderson grads and we immediately take him or her and show him/her the ropes. Everything we know, we teach, so that that person can instruct the next round of students in everything they know, and so on. It has become a cycle. Whoever comes to me to complete their practicum at My Health Centre, we hire – we have 100% hiring rate. And even if you don’t do your practicum with us, we help you get ahead by using our connections. Knowing you’re an Anderson College graduate coming out of a leading-edge program, we help you, because we know the quality work you can do, and we always help one of our own.”

And Dan’s advice for future students …

“Don’t stop driving yourself to achieve your most ambitious goals. Being a cardiology technologist, you are set for life, but there will be a few who will want to push further. You can. From cardio tech, you can become the senior tech, you can be the lead tech, you can be the manager. When you push your boundaries, when you say to yourself, “You know what, I can still do more”, and you apply yourself, you will become more. This is how I decided to become aa connective tissue specialist. And even in this, I will still be asking myself how much more I can do.

“For those even just thinking about studying at Anderson … just try it. If you talk to them, you’re one step closer already, and then just never stop. There’s no age limit, no lack of money that can stop you if you truly want to achieve something. But it can’t just be a dream, you need to do something about it to realize it. You need to reach out to the admissions advisor. Ask them, “How can I do this? What are the processes?” Because if you don’t ask, if you don’t reach out, if you think “I can’t get into Anderson, it’s too expensive,” you’re already defeated. You haven’t even asked, right? My advice here is, if you want to do something, do small stuff right away. Ask first or just make a small move. When you make a small move, it encourages you to make more moves and go further.”

Dan’s parting thoughts for you …

“As I shared earlier, I adopted our instructor Heather’s views in life, her confidence. But you see, she told me back then that you can’t just have confidence, you have to back it up. I took this to heart. So, whenever I do something, I focus on studying diligently, and I make sure that I’m proficient at it. You can feign confidence. You can be skilled and lack confidence. But to succeed, you have to realize that skills and confidence go hand in hand. As soon as I realized this, my life turned around 180 degrees, I landed the best job, teaching amazing people, and now I’m poised to contribute even more. You can too.”

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We’re so honoured to have Dan as one of the first graduates of our Cardiology Technology program. His contributions, compassionate care for others, his drive to continually evolve in what he offers to patients, our students, and to the future of healthcare is extraordinary and he sure helps us to shine as a college.

Thank you, Dan. We cannot wait to see where you soar next in your career and in life!

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Are you still considering whether this career path matches your interests? If so, take the “Anderson College Career Training Readiness Quiz”.

But if you’re ready to take Dan’s advice and just reach out and ask, our team is here to help you navigate the details and process of starting your Cardiology Technology career . We’ll help you find your best career fit, with the CT program or with one of our other 30+ programs. Book a virtual appointment today to speak with one of our Admissions Advisors and let’s get started, together.