For many people, finding the right career path can take years of trial and error. For Sam Coble, a graduate of Galen College of Nursing’s Sarasota campus, the search for his future began while he was still in high school.

For most of his teenage years, hockey was Coble’s world. But as graduation approached, he found himself facing a reality many students know all too well: he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do next.

Unlike some of his classmates who already had a career path mapped out, Coble wasn’t certain where life would take him. What he did know was that he wanted a career centered on helping others.

“I just wanted to help people, but I really didn’t know which avenue,” Coble said. “That was a very broad distinction to make.”

At the time, healthcare wasn’t a field he ever imagined himself pursuing.

“Not at all,” Coble said when asked if he saw himself working in healthcare. “I never really thought I was going to have a career in healthcare.”

Everything changed when one of his best friend’s mothers, a registered nurse who also taught EMT courses, introduced him to emergency medical services.

“I went there [EMT classes], it was about a four-and-a-half-month program. Halfway through, I absolutely enjoyed it and knew I wanted to continue my education.”

As he progressed through his EMT training, Coble began thinking about what came next. He wanted a career that would allow him to work closely with patients while creating opportunities for long-term growth and advancement.

“I talked to my EMT instructor about some of the programs around me, and we thought the best way to get my foot in the door is to go through Galen,” Coble said.

That decision proved to be a turning point.

After completing his EMT program, Coble enrolled at Galen and began working through his prerequisites.

“I thought it was just a super smooth transition,” Coble said. “The prerequisites are built into the program, so once you’re admitted, you’re going to stay in the program as long as you meet the grades and all of the prerequisites.”

Along the way, Coble continued to build healthcare experience. To help pay for school, he worked as a pharmacy technician while also serving as an EMT.

“My game plan was let’s work somewhere that is not only going to teach me customer service, but patient care, about the medications and all that kind of stuff,” Coble said.

As his confidence grew, so did his involvement on campus. He became active in student organizations, served as a student ambassador, worked as a CPR and EMT instructor, and volunteered as a research assistant at the University of South Florida.

Each role helped him strengthen his leadership skills, expand his healthcare knowledge, and build meaningful connections with fellow students and faculty, allowing him to graduate at just 21 years old.

Looking back, Coble says there wasn’t one defining moment that shaped his journey. Instead, it was a series of accomplishments that steadily reinforced his confidence and commitment to nursing. Graduating from EMT school was one milestone. Earning a place on Galen’s honors list semester after semester was another.

Today, Coble is applying everything he learned at Galen as a nurse in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville. Just weeks into his new role, he is already adapting to the fast-paced world of critical care, a specialty that first sparked his interest through his EMT experience and clinical rotations.

But even after achieving his goal of becoming a registered nurse, Coble hasn’t finished learning. He is currently continuing his education through Galen’s online RN to BSN program; an investment he believes will create even more opportunities for his future.

“Being at a teaching hospital, they want you to get your BSN,” Coble said. “But also in my own interest, having your BSN is going to open up a lot of doors.”

For students who are unsure about their future, Coble’s advice is simple: keep an open mind and don’t be afraid to explore new opportunities.

“Sometimes not knowing is the best thing you can have at that time,” Coble said. “Even if it’s something that you didn’t like, that’s still good data to have. Sometimes it’s better to know what you don’t like than what you do like.”

What began as uncertainty about the future eventually led Coble to a career in nursing. Through his EMT training, involvement at Galen, and hands-on healthcare experience, he found a profession that aligned with his desire to help others, allowing him to continue to build on the foundation that started years ago as a high school student exploring his options.