FAQ

The GHD Health Career Pathway Initiative (formerly the Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD) Health Career Pathway Initiative) is a grant project funded by the Grossmont Healthcare District. It aims to promote the development of a qualified healthcare workforce through a focus on career awareness, workplace skills, and science preparation at the high school level. High school health pathway programs will 1) strengthen students’ performance in science; a key gatekeeper to college degrees in health and medicine, 2) work with middle schools to recruit and prepare students for Health Career Pathways, and 3) present students with opportunities for involvement in experiences that expose and prepare them for a variety of health careers and the post-secondary education programs required to achieve those careers. Grant funds are used to support East County school sites and program coordination, implementation of the annual Healthcare Exploration Summer Institute (HESI), support for internships and community service learning projects, industry connections, career exploration activities, and curriculum training and resources.

The Health Pathway courses teach the course content and standards through the "lens" of healthcare and medicine. For example, students in a regular Biology course would learn about homeostasis among systems and the teacher would provide real-world context. In the Medical Biology course, the real-world context would be medically related. This could be through a discussion of how the lungs perform gas exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen to maintain a balance, a lab demonstrating on how kidney dialysis can maintain homeostasis when a patient's excretory system cannot, or an activity that examines what happens to blood pressure under different stressors.

In addition, Health Pathway courses also provide opportunities for health career exposure through speakers from the healthcare industry, healthcare industry tours, and a focus on college & career readiness.

Medicine and science are very closely related. Most healthcare training programs require successful completion of high-level science prerequisites to enroll. Traditionally, data had shown that very few high school graduates in East County San Diego were completing healthcare training programs at our local colleges within 10 years after graduation. Through teaching with a medical context, Health Pathway students are more interested in the class material. Some Healthcare Career certifications do not require science prerequisites, but a Health Pathway student will be better prepared for those programs and their career with an education that emphasized science.

Health Pathway programs at each site are developed and supported by each site's science department, administration & counseling department. Sites can opt in (or out) of participation based on the interest of teachers in the science department to teach these specialized courses and support the work-based learning experiences for their students.

Health Pathway students can benefit through:

• Science courses that include relevant healthcare and medical topics

• Certifications in Basic Life Support (CPR) and HIPAA Confidentiality

• Guest speakers, field trips, and job shadows

• Smart Heart Don't Miss a Beat Virtual Training ( 20 hr. community service)

• Virtual Internships (up to 100 hrs.)

• Collaboration with Champions Health to facilitate drive-through flu clinics

• Hospital and Clinic Internships (post COVID)

• Scholarships reserved for Health Pathway students.

• Training in HIPAA Confidentiality and Work Readiness.

• KIds Care Fest Health Education Volunteering at local elementary schools (post COVID)

• Medical Book studies and Medical clubs on campus

Each site has different outreach and recruiting methods. The best way to determine how to become part of a health pathway program at a specific site is to talk to the Health Pathway Coordinator/Teacher at your site. Email your counselor or ask any science teacher who the coordinator is at your school.

Building and maintaining relationships with our industry partners is of highest priority for the success of the GUHSD Health Pathway. As a result, we conduct in-class and pre-internship training to familiarize students with HIPAA Confidentiality, Patient Rights, and work etiquette. Our goal is to provide student interns and volunteers who are well-prepared to interact with healthcare professionals and gain the most from the experience. Students must be part of their Health Pathway for our teams to support, recognize and recommend students that would be best suited for these opportunities.