After Starting Over in the U.S., Triton Student Continues Her Health Care Journey

RIVER GROVE, Ill. — When Diana Druta moved to the United States with her family 12 years ago, she was excited about the opportunities awaiting her in a new home — but the move also meant giving something up.

In her native country of Moldova, Druta, now 40, had worked as a nurse and completed six years of medical school on the path to becoming a physician. Following the move, however, her professional qualifications did not transfer seamlessly, requiring Druta to pursue a new educational path and put her dream career on hold.

Now, Druta has found a fresh start at Triton College, where she is continuing her passion for caring for others by taking the next step in her health care career through Triton’s Vascular Technology in Sonography Certificate.

“My dream was to become a doctor and I never quit my dream,” she said.

Triton College’s Vascular Technology in Sonography Certificate provides advanced training for credentialed diagnostic medical sonographers who want to specialize in using ultrasound to evaluate blood vessels and blood flow, expanding their skills, career opportunities and ability to support patient care, according to Heather Amwoza, chairperson for Triton’s Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS) program and instructional area coordinator for the Vascular Technology Certificate.

“It makes the sonographer more marketable,” Amwoza said. “That’s one question that a lead tech is bound to ask: Are you RVT certified? But more importantly, sonographers want to feel confident in the exams they’re performing for their patients and know they’re delivering good patient care. This certificate gets them there.”

The demand for diagnostic medical sonographers is strong, with employment projected to grow 14% nationally from 2025 to 2035, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Druta graduated from Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Chisinau, Moldova, before immigrating to the United States with her family in 2014. Shortly after settling in Illinois, she enrolled in ESL classes at Triton College in 2015 through its Adult Education Program. Her instructors encouraged her to continue her education, eventually leading her to Triton’s DMS program.

Druta’s background in health care made her an eager student in Amwoza’s DMS program, prompting Amwoza to encourage her to pursue the vascular certificate. Druta completed Triton’s DMS program in May 2024 and plans to earn her vascular certificate in the spring, continuing her journey in the health care field.

I did not know English very well, but my teachers here in the United States encouraged me. Medicine is not just English, medicine is a universal language, so you can do it.

With a degree in DMS already under her belt, Druta sees the vascular certification as a natural next step. Understanding the vascular system helps technologists recognize complex diseases and disease patterns and collaborate more effectively with the care team, she noted.

“For me to start medicine in another country wasn’t difficult. It wasn’t scary. It was challenging,” she said. “But I’ve been given support from my professors and I feel like Triton is my family. … Triton was my first school in the United States, my first college, and I found my people here.”

Seeking a fresh start? There’s a place for you at Triton College, where award-winning faculty and staff support you from your first step to your last as you journey through career-aligned academic programs on track to a lifelong calling.

Registration for the spring 2027 term is now open. Visit Triton.edu to explore our certificates and degree programs, find your path and apply today.

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Media Contacts:
Melissa Ramirez Cooper | melissacooper@triton.edu | 708-456-0300, Ext. 3496
Hunter Oberst | hunteroberst@triton.edu | 708-456-0300, Ext. 3820

ABOUT TRITON COLLEGE:
Triton College, located at 2000 Fifth Ave., River Grove, is a public institution of higher education dedicated to student success. Recently recognized by the Aspen Institute as one of the Top 200 community colleges in the nation, Triton offers more than 130 degree and certificate programs that prepare students to pursue meaningful careers, transfer to four-year universities, and thrive in a global economy. Guided by our mission—Valuing the individual, educating and serving the community—Triton serves nearly 17,000 students annually on its 110-acre campus in River Grove, Illinois. Our dedicated faculty and staff provide high-quality, accessible and affordable educational opportunities that empower students and strengthens the communities we serve. Triton College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the Illinois Community College Board. Illinois is home to 45 colleges in 39 community college districts. Learn more at triton.edu.