Twenty-eight Patriot and Rubidoux High School graduates returned to class a week after graduation, dressed in scrubs, and ready to join the healthcare field as part of the first cohort in the accelerated Medical Assistant Program at the Jurupa Adult School.
“I’ve always wanted to be in the medical field,” said Mia Sanchez, a medical assistant graduate. “Just being able to be a (medical assistant) at 17, that’s just a great opportunity. Being able to take it before I leave for college, it just really benefits me.”
The eight-week summer bootcamp is the first partnership between the Jurupa Adult School and JUSD’s Career Technical Education (CTE) program. This inaugural program is an extension of the medical Career Technical Education (CTE) pathways already in place at JUSD comprehensive high schools.
“(We) wanted to support students directly out of high school and provide a learning environment (where) they can use that fresh knowledge and help prepare them for their career,” Jenna Saugstad, Education Services Coordinator, said.
Claritza Heredia, a medical assistant graduate, will attend the University of California, Riverside, to major in neuroscience in the fall, confident in herself and her medical knowledge. Claritza and another student were hired by the clinics where they completed their externships.
“The reason why I decided to join this program is because I wanted to get hands-on experience in how to work in a healthcare clinic, especially because of my ultimate goal of becoming a doctor,” Claritza said.
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Students in the program are medical CTE pathway completers from Patriot High School and Rubidoux High School. Jurupa Valley High School’s Class of 2027 will have their first two-year medical CTE pathway completers, making them eligible to enroll in the Jurupa Adult School program.
“The adult (education) program is well known for their medical programs… They are incredibly accommodating and understanding of the students in our community,” said Ms. Saugstad. “To develop a partnership with our adult education program is a seamless transition to allow our students into the (workforce) as soon as possible.”
The Jurupa Adult School recently earned a $4.5 million English Language Learner (ELL) Healthcare Vocational Pathways Grant to provide additional support for English language Learners to enter the healthcare industry.
“Being able to capitalize and having that partnership with the high schools is so critical because we have such an influx of students there that we can serve,” said Jurupa Adult School Principal Annamarie Montañez, Ed.D. “Our programs are… top-notch in what our students can learn, but also financially accessible.”
Medical assistant students practice or simulate procedures such as drawing blood, conducting ear lavages (a procedure to flush out ears with a stream of liquid), and performing electrocardiograms (a test that records electrical signals of the heart), etc. They learn from each other as both patients and healthcare providers in preparation for their externship.
Matthew Shen, a medical assistant graduate, chose to challenge his classmates when he was a patient in their clinic simulations. Matthew would speak a different language, be uncooperative, and even run away from his providers.
“I can take my own experience (here) and put that into how to treat a patient,” Mathew said.
Matthew will attend California State University, Fullerton, in the fall to follow in his family’s footsteps and become an emergency room doctor.
“I feel like this program with the clinical work is going to help me be better in (this) type of field,” Matthew said.
After a month of classroom learning, students are required to complete 160 hours at an externship. Students work in urgent care, clinics, or hospitals for work experience before completing their program.
Approximately 80% of students are offered a job at their externship, said Dr. Montañez. Some students would rather keep pursuing their education or need more flexibility.
For Tania Espinoza Rodríguez, becoming a medical assistant is her dream job.
Tania enjoys helping others and wants to take care of them, she said. Tania started the medical CTE pathway at Patriot High School, knowing that being a medical assistant was her goal. The Jurupa Adult School helped her achieve her dreams.
“This is our first collaboration with the high school CTE programs, and my hope (is) that moving forward, we’re really able to look at other fields… provide something else for the other (students),” said Dr. Montañez.
