A True Master's Journey

Since a young age, KaTrena Larkin, 45, has always had the heart to care for others.

She explained when she was younger, her mother worked at night and when no one got up to care for her younger sister, Larkin would get up to help.

Larkin looking through "Days in the Lives of Social Workers Third Edition" by Linda May Grobman. In this book Larkin read about the different jobs social workers could do.

"I didn't have to, but that's where it started," Larkin said. "I feed her (bottles), changed her diapers, changed her clothes (and) did her hair. I did all that at six years old. Can you imagine a six-year-old changing another baby's diaper?"

She laughed, remembering the times she helped her little sister. She explained, looking back though, that's when she knew she had a caring heart.

Today, Larkin works at her dream job, The Hospice of East Texas as a licensed medical social worker. Her journey of how she got there was not easy. She explained it took her roughly 19 years to get where she is today and it all began with little steps.

"Back in 2001, I only took one class a semester because that's all I could afford," Larkin said. "Twice a week, I would go. It was over a 30-minute drive and it was a night class. I think it started at 7 p.m. I know that's not much, but it was worth it. Even though I took one class, I knew it would add up and it would lead to something and it did."

While she was taking the classes, she wanted to learn job skills in her pass time. So, in 2004 she became a home health aide. This is also where she first learned about HOET.

"I had more time on my hands so I did volunteer work at (HOET) and absolutely loved it," Larkin said. "Talking to the loved ones, making sure they were OK. I truly loved it. In the back of my head, I knew this was something I wanted to do."

Larkin flipping through the book to find her notes written in 2010. "I love writing down dates," Larkin said. "I'll remember I wrote something 10 years ago and come back to it with a new set of eyes to see what has changed."

After volunteering at many places while still taking a few classes, Larkin eventually got her associates in applied health science. With her degree, she began working at Trinity Mother Frances in Tyler in the womb care unit.

At this time, Larkin didn't think she would return to school. She didn't mind her job, but she said one day, it all changed for her when a patient talked to her.

"I was helping this older couple and I was 32. I'll never forget the woman who asked me what my plans were involving school. I told her the truth and said I didn't have any," Larkin said. "The lady looked at me and said, 'I have grandkids older than you. You better get your butt back in school.' So after some thought, I actually did (go back to school)."

Larkin said at first, she didn't know exactly what she wanted to do. She wanted to work at HOET but didn't know what she needed to get there. One day a coworker introduced her to a medical social worker and she knew then and there that's what she wanted to become.

"After I saw what they do, it's like my eyes were opened," Larkin said. "I began researching and after volunteering for (HOET) back 2004 and remembered how that was for me. I knew that that was my dream job."

"Dec 2010: I understand why a MSW degree would be beneficial for this particular field. However, I look forward to being qualified for such a position. Oct. 22, 2019 -- Hospice of East Texas called me for a job interview-scheduled: 10/28/19. 10/29/19: Accepted the position!!"

After researching what a medical social worker was, Larkin began her journey back to school starting in 2009 when she enrolled at Tyler Junior College.

"I actually enrolled in 2008 but got cold feet and returned my books right before classes started," Larkin said. "So, I officially started in 2009. But I still graduated in 2011 with my associates in social work. I was so proud of myself, but I knew I had to keep going."

Larkin's different books accumulated during school she keeps on her office at home. "I never know when I'll need look back at something. So, I keep it here out the open," Larkin said.

At the time, the University of Texas at Tyler did not have a bachelor's program for social work, so Larkin explained she went to Brescia University, which was located in Kentucky. It was the only school that was 100% online for social work degree and she took the opportunity.

"That was school was hard," Larkin said. "I didn't think I could really do it, but I did. Because in May 2014, I graduated from there with my bachelor's. I didn't walk the stage because it was in Kentucky, but when I got my degree in the mail, I was just as thrilled."

With her bachelors, she worked at Grace Manor in 2015, a foster and adoption agency. Since Brescia University was so difficult, Larkin thought this was OK, and maybe she didn't need a master's.

"It's been a few years since I thought about (HOET)," Larkin said. "And Brescia was so hard I thought working with foster children was OK, even though that was stressful too. It wasn't until I got a letter in the mail in 2018 from (The University of Texas at Arlington). They told me I could enter their program and finish my master's in a year. I stepped out on faith and entered the program that same year," Larkin said with a smile.

In "Days in the Lives of Social Workers Third Edition," Larkin marked the day she got her dream job at HOET. "My position: Medical Social Worker 10/29/19."

Larkin explained because her previous grades were so well, that's how she got offered the opportunity to join UTA's graduate program.

While still working at Grace Manor during the day, she would study all night for tests and write long case study papers. It was worth it because Larkin did eventually complete the course. She graduated from UTA in December 2019 with a master's in social work.

"Right before I applied for graduation, I saw an ad online for (HOET). It said, 'friendly Medical Social Worker needed.' I remembered I prayed about it and applied for the job," Larkin said. "I haven't graduated yet and knew I needed a master's for the job, but I went for it anyway.

"I'll never forget I had my interview the day after my birthday, and the next day after that, I got the job! I knew it was God who told me to go to graduate school (and) He knew my dream was to work at (HOET). I obeyed and got it all almost immediately because I listened," Larkin said.

Larkin decided after such accompaniment and nearly 19 years from her associates to her master's, she needed to walk the stage. So, in December 2019, she did, and a couple of weeks after that, she began her training for HOET.

Larkin reviews her diplomas hung on her office wall at home. The top diploma is her degree from UTA, separated by an encouraging quote, and her hardest degree to achieve, her bachelors from Brescia University.

"Fast forward to now," Larkin said. "I understand fully why one would need a master's for this job. It's not for everyone but I know it's for me. It's a beautiful company, and I don't see myself leaving. I don't need to."

Larkin talks to a patient's loved one on the phone who explains what a great help Larkin was to her family and the patient.

Larkin works full-time at HOET and she explained, despite the awful things she has to see different families go through, she is honored to help them.

"Working at foster and adoption actually helped me with this job," Larkin said. "That job was way more stressful. It taught me how to be a case worker under pressure but on a different level. Now I am working with the elderly population that I wanted to, but even then, sometimes I get children on my workload too, but that's OK because I'm prepared."

Since COVID-19, Larkin explained she works from home a lot more than in the office. She mentioned she doesn't mind, though, because the flexibility allows her to get more done from her home.

"I can wake up and not worry about commuting to work or if I get a patient that lives down the street from me, I can just drive to their house with more ease than if I was coming from the office," she said. "So I love that part of it."

Larkin working from home with the company iPad while charting notes.

Despite the flexibility HOET social workers can have, Larkin wanted to inform others that it doesn't make the job easy.

"It breaks me the sicknesses or illnesses patients can have," Larkin said. "I hate that the families have to go through that but that's what I'm here for. To listen to them. To help. I want to be by their side and tell them I'm listening. That's what I'm there for."

Larkin gets a disturbing call about a patient and their situation.

As mentioned before, it took Larkin roughly 19 years from start to finish to get where she is today. She explained if she could change something in her journey, it was just to go to school and get it done.

"If that's what you want to do, do it," Larkin said. "Don't make the mistake I did and get scared or back out because you don't feel like you can't do it. I had a family to care for, worked full-time jobs, and I still made it. If I can encourage any young person in school or not, I would say just keep going."

Larkin thinks about what her plans are for the day and what awaits her. "Sometimes I don't realize I'm sitting at my desk doing nothing," Larkin said. "But sometimes I need to process what's going on (with a patient) before I jump into action."

At the end of the day, Larkin said when she needs encouragement or a break from the stressors of her job she'll read her Bible or a devotional.

"God is a big part of my life, I mean, He blessed me to do this," Larkin said. "I also feel like people know they need encouragement...but in the process of that, they also forget to encourage the encourager. So, I read (the Bible). That's where I get my encouragement from and destress."

Larkin's Bible is open on her desk located at home. "I don't like a closed Bible," Larkin said. "I leave it open, because it encourages me to just pick up and start reading where I left off."

Lastly, Larkin shares her journey and recaps why she does what she does and how she got there.

"Gosh, it was a long journey. I mean, 19 years? That's crazy. But when I look back, it was worth saying, 'I know I can do this,' because of determination," Larkin said. "Because I always knew I wanted my master's. I set my bar up there. I set my bar up there even when I didn't have the skills, I had two kids, and I was a stay-at-home mom, but I set it anyway.

"It's funny (because) now people ask me, 'Don't you want a doctorate?' and I'm like, 'No,' because usually with a doctorate, you're in a school system. I don't want to do that," Larkin said. "I want to be by (a patient's) side. Right beside (them) in bed helping with (their) needs. And I won't stop until God tells me to, and I know right now He is not."

Larkin proudly holds her framed diploma from UTA.