Alumni

Ben Davey

Grossmont, 2005

Ben graduated from the University of California San Diego with a Bachelor's of Science in Biochemistry, Cell Biology in 2009. He currently teachers high school Chemistry. He advises health pathway students to:

Go in with an open mind and be willing to volunteer for anything and everything that presents itself.

Mark Demchak

West Hills, 2007

Mark graduated from Indiana Wesleyan University with a degree in Athletic Training in 2011. He currently works in Sports Medicine and Sports Performance. Mark had this to say about his health pathway experience:

My health pathway led me towards a career path that combines sports and medicine. The pathway introduced me to the medical side of sports, since being a physician of some sort was not my interest.

Grady Gastelum

Grossmont, 2007

Grady completed his BS at San Diego State University in 2013, and is currently working towards completing his PhD in Translational Biology & Molecular Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. He is currently doing research within his grad school and plans to pursue Biomedical Entrepreneurship. Grady has this to say to encourage health pathway students to consider the new exciting field he is pursuing:

The biomedical sciences are becoming more exciting by the day whether you are at the research bench or treating patients in the hospital. I highly encourage you all to take advantage of the progress being made and expose yourselves to the incredible technologies that are arising. This career path will be challenging, but with hard work and perseverance, you can accomplish great things that can change the world. Learn to see failures as opportunities to become a better you. I look forward to seeing what you all have to offer the world!

Aaron Miller

West Hills, 2007

Aaron currently has a degree in Biology and is working towards his M.D. planning to pursue Interventional Radiology. Aaron had this to say about his health pathway experience:

My cascade of jobs is entirely thanks to the health occupations careers pathway. I started with volunteering, then to working administrative, then to clinical. Keep at it, it's a long road, but it's worth it.

Elle Daunis

West Hills, 2008

Elle obtained her Associate's degree from Grossmont College, followed by her Bachelor's of Science in Nursing from National University in 2016. She currently works as a nurse in the emergency room. She has this advice for health pathway students:

Get a job in the medical field as soon as possible and keep plugging away. Ask people for advice, be a hard worker, and show interest, only then, will people be more willing to help you.

David Frank

West Hills, 2008

David completed his Associate's degree at Grossmont College and is currently a corpsman in the Navy. He plans on pursuing his Bachelor's of Nursing following his service. David had this to say about his health pathway experience:

It showed me different fields within medicine that I had no idea about, and it sparked my passion to pursue medicine as a career.

Victoria Koci

West Hills, 2008

Victoria obtained her Bachelor's degree in Psychology, and will be graduating with a Masters of Science in Psychology from Kaplan University in May of 2017. She currently works as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Her advice for health pathway students is to:

Embrace this time and learn as much as you can. Do not be discouraged. Although I didn't end up directly in the health field as studied in the HCP courses I took, the knowledge I gained and the experiences I was able to have, will be with me forever.

Michelle Martorana

West Hills, 2008

Michelle graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a Bachelor's in Nursing in 2014. She is currently a Clinical Research Manager for a gene therapy company in San Diego, CA. Michelle's advice to health pathway students includes:

Being in the healthcare field is so rewarding but challenging at the same time. I have dealt with patients after surgery to patients with long term life support and now I help create drugs of the future. This field allows you to have so many options. It is a great place to decide to move forward in that any choice you make can take you in so many directions.

Cameron Pittman

West Hills, 2008

Cameron graduated from the University of New Mexico with a double major in Psychology and Human Development and Family Relations in 2012. He currently works as a behavioral therapist and advises health pathway students to: "soak it all in."

Lindsay Bush

Helix Charter, 2009

Lindsay graduated with a Bachelor's in Science degree from Northern Arizona University in 2014. She is currently working towards her Master's in Science degree and hopes to finish in 2019. She is pursuing a career in laboratory management. Lindsay has this advice for health pathway students:

Take in the opportunities given to you in the program and learn from them! This really helps you understand the different aspects and give you a perspective of what you would want your day to look like in the future!

Jason Dale

Santana, 2009

Jason graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a Bachelor's of Science in Environmental Science. He currently works as an Environmental Geologist. Jason has this advice for health pathway students:

Take a chance to sit down and ask professionals how they got to where they are and what they value about the job, in work life and outside. What are hard decisions they have made and how did those decisions affect where they are. Also, don't be afraid to move for work or new experiences. You will grow emotionally and professionally.

Kelly McNulty

West Hills, 2009

Kelly graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a Bachelor's of Science and is currently pursuing her Master's degree in Nutritional Science at UCLA. She plans to work in the field of dietetics. Kelly had this to say about her health pathway experience:

My health pathway experience exposed me to many careers in healthcare that I had never known to exist. The internship led me to further volunteer opportunities and eventually a job throughout my undergraduate degree as a scrub technician in an outpatient vascular clinic.

Stephen Goldberg

West Hills, 2010

Stephen completed his BS in Human Biology at the University of California Santa Cruz in 2014. He is continuing to work towards a career in nursing, specifically focusing on physical therapy. Stephen has this advice for health pathway students:

Talk to patients. It is the best experience you can get.

Noura Khazal

West Hills, 2010

Noura obtained a Nursing Assitant certificate directly out of high school and is currently attending National University working towards a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing. She currently works as a certified nursing assistant (CNA). Noura had this advice for health pathway students pursing internships:

Take every opportunity you can! Really commit yourself 150% each day because you don't want any opportunities to pass you by. Ask , ask , ask and ask one more questions! Don't be afraid of being that annoying intern that is asking too many questions. Trust me they will be much more happier when they see that you actually care and are interested in what they are doing. If you don't ask the answer will always be no! I know things the instructors may ask you to do will make you feel uncomfortable but embrace them and go at them will full force. Even if you have to fake it until to make , it's all worth it in the end. The amount you grow and learn in the program you will take for the rest of you life! I would do it all over again if I had the chance !

Jarel Lewis

Mt. Miguel, 2010

Jarel attended Grossmont College where he obtained an Associate's degree in Dance. He is currently attending California State University, Fullerton pursuing a Bachelor's of Fine Arts in Dance. He works as a professional dancer and dance teacher. Jarel had this to say about his internship experience:

I loved the HESI program. Even though I came from a school that had a new Medical Program, I believe I was prepared for the HESI program. Through HESI, I fell in love with Physical Therapy; however, when I started attending college, I was unsure of what I wanted to do with my life. After a couple of semesters of General Education classes, I began dancing and fell in love all over again. With dance, I was able to incorporate everything I have learned about the human body to move my body in ways most people only dream about or see on TV. No, I am currently not pursuing a degree in the Medical Field per se but I still take my experience and knowledge of medicine everywhere I go.

Dylan McNearney

West Hills, 2010

Dylan is working on his Master's of Healthcare Administration degree at Western Governor University. He hopes to be finished in 2020 and work in Hospital Administration. Dylan had this to say about his health pathway experience:

Because of this program I have always been very passionate about healthcare. When I decided not to pursue a patient care centered career I knew I had to find another way to still be an impact in the healthcare community-- with my interest and passion for business and my experience managing and inspiring employees in the financial world I opted to aim for the business side of healthcare and become a hospital administrator.

Bill Quach

Helix, 2010

Bill graduated from the University if California, Los Angeles with a Bachelor's of Science in 2014. He is currently attending the University of Colorado School of Medicine with plans to graduate in 2018 as a Doctor of Medicine (MD). Bill would like to practice Internal Medicine. Bill had this to say about his health pathway and internship experience:

I had always loved science and in particular biology and chemistry as a high schooler. As a teenager I had a wide array of career choices in mind. One day I wanted to be a forensic scientist. The next a researcher. The next a biochemist. The most consistent career choice, however, was always related to healthcare with medical school in particular. As a high schooler, it's difficult to fathom thinking about medical school without knowing what lies beyond college but HESI gave me a glimpse into the world of health care and re-affirmed my desire to pursue medicine. It has been years since my Summer 2009 experience but I vividly remember the eager, smiling providers who wanted to teach and motivate students to pursue a career in medicine. I could not appreciate the science behind medicine at the time but I truly felt as if our health care system was making a difference in our patients lives. I carried this motivation with me through college and now as a rising 4th year medical student I can truly say that I love interacting with patients and working with a team of providers who seek to improve the health and everyday lives of our patients. I continue to be the quiet, introverted personality type from my high school days that never imagined himself in the world of health care interacting with patients. If it weren't for HESI, I would have never imagined myself fitting into this role. I would likely be sitting in a research laboratory working on a research project if HESI had not motivated me to pursue medicine. It would be difficult to fathom myself in my current position if it were not for Ms. Peterson and my summer experience.

Jennifer Ault

West Hills, 2011

Jennifer graduated from the University of California, Davis in 2015 and is currently enrolled in the University of California, Davis School of Education to obtain her teaching credential and Master's in Education. She plans to return to the classroom to teach science, hopefully in a health pathway program! Jennifer has this advice for health pathway students:

Keep your options open! Pay attention to different health careers and what you like or dislike about them - this can help you find the ideal career for your skills and personality. Also, don't be too disappointed if you participate in health career observation and internships and find that it just isn't for you. There's a lot of time to discover and pursue other options.

Piper Crispin-Smith

Granite Hills, 2011

Piper graduated from San Francisco State University in 2015 with a Bachelor's in Biology. She is currently gaining experience and working towards applying to school to become a Physical Therapist. Piper had this advice for health pathway students:

Be open to new things! As much as you may plan on one specific career, that doesn't mean you need to stick to that. Be open about new opportunities and learning experiences. You've got all the time in the world to find what's perfect for you, and the medical field is full of options.

David Huber

West Hills, 2011

David graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a Bachelor's in Biology. As of Fall 2016, David entered his first year of medical school. David had this to say about how his internship experience shaped his career goals:

Through HESI, I had the privilege of job shadowing healthcare personnel at all levels of the hospital, from sterilization and sanitation in the hospital basement to surgery on the top floor. After the program, I was able to envision myself in multiple subspecialties available as a physician. I believe the interactions with the medical professionals I encountered throughout the program turned into a tangible goal that fueled my motivation to study throughout high school, college and ultimately medical school.

Tiffany Lapuebla

Santana, 2011

Tiffany graduated from San Diego University in 2016 with a Bachelor's in Social Work. She is currently attending Duke University working on a Master's in Public Policy that she plans to complete in 2018. She plans to pursue a career as a Policy Analyst for Health and Human Services. Tiffany had this to say about her health pathway experience:

My health pathway experience exposed me to the wide range of opportunities I did not know I had or even existed. I am currently pursuing my Master's in Public Policy and the health pathway experience helped shape this decision because it exposed me to the health system and its entirety. Having the opportunity to observe the health care system first hand helps apply practical experience when making policy decisions.

Melissa Reed

West Hills, 2011

Melissa graduated from San Diego State University in 2015 with a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing. She currently works as an Emergency Nurse in the Sharp Chula Vista Hospital Emergency Department. Melissa had this advice for health pathway students:

Gain as much experience as possible and never stop working. Be confident, but maintain humility.

Taylor Surdock

West Hills, 2011

Taylor graduated from Grossmont College with an Associate's degree in American Sign Language. She is currently working in the veterinary field and plans to pursue a Bachelor's in Zoology. Taylor had this to say about her health pathway experience:

I knew I loved the medical field and the body. This experience helped shape what fields I was interested in. I also found out through the internship, HESI, that medicine is an ever growing field. I do love the increased knowledge and experience that helps me in the real world. I found through internships and learning about medicine that I wanted to pursue a nursing degree.

Jason Gosschalk

West Hills, 2012

Jason graduated from the University of California Los Angeles with a Bachelor's of Science and is currently working on his Master's of Science degree to be completed in 2017. He plans to pursue a career as a Physician Scientist (MD/PhD). Jason had this advice for health pathway students:

Study to learn, not to get good grades. But go to a college where you can get good grades, because they matter (a lot). Don't pursue medicine for the money or glory, the journey isn't worth it if you don't love the healthcare praxis. Find activities that build your resume but also your character, don't do things because you're supposed to. Do them because you love them.

Heather Howell

Granite Hills, 2012

Heather graduated from Grossmont College with an Associate's degree in Nursing in 2016. She is currently working in the nursing field and pursuing her Bachelor's of Nursing. Heather had this to say about her health pathway experience:

Loved the health pathway program and those classes and experiences made the college journey through nursing school easier.

Jesus Mendoza

Granite Hills, 2012

Jesus graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a B.A. in 2016. He currently plans to pursue a career in education, but that is still open to opportunities that may arise. While Jesus is not directly pursuing a healthcare career, his advice for future pre-med students comes with important experience:

Please, for the sake of your mental well-being, be honest with yourself. There are few disappointments greater than realizing you are pursuing a career without the requisite interest and grit. On grit: be tough-as-nails determined to do well in your classes. Seek advice, help, and guidance from your professors, TAs, and most importantly your fellow students. You won’t be the first student to run into trouble with pre-med classes, nor will you be the last, so find a community of peers that you can share your learning process with. I guarantee you the pre-med journey will be less stressful if you learn to collaborate and share your experiences with others.

Katie Menzies

Granite Hills, 2012

Katie graduated from University of California Santa Barbara in 2016 with a Bachelor's in Microbiology. She is currently pursuing a career as a Physician's Assistant. Katie had this to say about her health pathway and internship experience:

It solidified my desire to enter the medical filed. It allowed me to enter college knowing the career path I wanted to take.

Victoria Pool

Granite Hills, 2012

Victoria graduated from the University of California Santa Barbara with a Bachelor's of Science in Biopsychology in 2016. She currently teachers Biology and Anatomy & Physiology at the high school level. Victoria had this to say about her health pathway experience:

The health pathway was an amazing experience for me. Although I decided to not pursue health care directly I now teach anatomy and physiology as well as biology. I still have a passion for science and medicine and I now share that passion and curiosity with my own high school students.

Jeremy Bailey

Granite Hills, 2013

Jeremy is attending Grossmont College majoring in Nursing. He plans to graduate in 2021 with an eventual Master's in Nursing and pursue a nursing career. Jeremy had this to say about his internship experience:

Very great, wonderful program. Especially the HESI internship was an experience that cannot be passed when given the opportunity. Relax, figure out what you want to do in the healthcare field, it's not a race to finish the degree as fast as you can.

Erin Lucore

Santana, 2013

Erin is currently attending the University of California, Davis and plans to obtain her Bachelor's of Science in June 2017. She plans to pursue a career as a nurse in the labor and delivery department. Erin had this to say about her health pathway internship experience:

The HESI program is the most inclusive hospital internship I have participated in. It was such a wonderful opportunity to be immersed in all of the different departments. The program gave you just a little taste of the vast career opportunities that are available in the health field. It was a challenging and fast paced course, but well worth all of the lasting benefits. As a senior in college I still use stories and skills that I learned in this program when interviewing for internships or job positions.

Krystal Chung

Santana, 2014

Krystal is currently attending Southern Illinois University, Carbondale and plans to complete a double major in Microbiology and Spanish in 2018. She currently works as a laboratory technician in a chlamydia research laboratory, and plans to pursue a career as a Health Scientist at the Center for Disease Control. Krystal has this advice for health pathway students:

Make the time to learn from these courses you are lucky enough to participate in in high school. While it may not seem important now, these classes are beyond beneficial to your classes you will take in graduate school. Also, if you have the opportunity to participate in one of their internships, do it.

Chauntiera Cook

El Cajon Valley, 2014

Chauntiera is currently attending the University of California, Los Angeles and will complete her BS in BIology with an African American Studies minor in June 2018. After she completes her undergraduate studies she plans to pursue a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm D) degree. Chauntiera gives this advice to health pathway students:

I would tell current students to fully embrace the opportunities and experiences that are given to the medical pathway students. I truly believe that participating in the pathway and internships set me apart from other applicants.

Michael Hagues

West Hills, 2014

Michael is attending Brigham Young University majoring in Biology. He plans to graduate in 2020 and pursue a career in chiropractic medicine. Michael had this to say about his internship experience:

It was one of the hardest, but most fulfilling experiences of my life! I still look back to it to this day. Work hard and have fun. Take advantage of every opportunity presented during the internship.

Jace Pulsipher

Granite Hills, 2014

Jace is returning to attend Brigham Young University after spending 2 years as a missionary in the Dominican Republic. He plans to graduate in 2020 and continues to pursue a medical doctorate to become a pediatric orthopedic surgeon. Jace had this to say about his health pathway experience:

Getting to hear from many different types of healthcare professionals in a classroom setting, and getting to have hands-on experience and close encounters with diverse areas of medicine through the HESI program greatly influenced my career and study choices. Being exposed to those influences at such a critical part in my academic career helped me immensely; especially since the great benefits offered by the medical pathway program over the typical curriculum helps us to not just learn, but rather to also have a clear view of how we will later apply what we learn in a future career. Though my career aspirations in the medical field did not begin because of the med pathway program, it greatly strengthened my resolve, and I was able to graduate from the program with a much clearer understanding of what I wanted to do and who I wanted to be in the medical field.

Cassidy Wilder

Granite Hills, 2014

Cassidy is currently a student at San Diego State University working towards her degree in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences and Spanish. She plans to pursue a career as a Bilingual Speech Pathologist. Cassidy has this advice for health pathway students:

I would get as much experience and shadow as much as you can until you discover your passion. Don't be afraid to get involved and contact doctors or hospitals for ways to get involved. They love people who are interested in their field. If you are interested in research look up professors at universities and send them emails about their research. Discover as much as you can about what you want to do before you leave high school.