Health Scholar Spotlights

Take a closer look at our scholars testimonials about COPE at Adventist Health Glendale answering questions pertaining to patient experience, how the program is carried out over the years to how their experience has shaped their perspective on becoming healthcare professionals.

Please complete the form below for the chance to be featured!

Health Scholar Spotlight Form

Arpine Rostomyan

Career Goal: "To become a physician, hopefully as a Dermatologist!"

"These last rotations were probably one of my favorite rotations from my time in the program, where I had the privilege to shift in the Radiology and Cardiac Cath Lab departments. Not only were the staff and nurses in these departments incredibly kind and welcoming, but they always gave and encouraged the opportunity to ask questions to learn more about the what's and why's of certain cases. During my time in Radiology, I looked at CT scans of the human body and saw what a stroke and active bleed look like in the brain. In Cardiac Cath Lab, I learned about the different catheters that were used by the doctors during procedures. My coolest experience had to be seeing the shock wave catheter in action, where this catheter has a balloon attached to its' end that, when expands, sends ultrasonic waves around it, causing any surrounding calcium to shake off and turn into smaller dust-like particles! However, seeing how happy and instantly relieved patients were after the interventional cardiologists told them the 70% blockage observed in the arteries of their heart was now completely open, only solidified my aspirations of becoming a doctor."

Job Sy

Career Goal: "I am considering going back to school to get my Masters in Nursing Education or to become an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner."

"The Health Scholar program was my first experience in a hospital, as I had started the program prior to starting clinicals at nursing school. As a Health Scholar, I not only became exposed to all the different tasks relating to patient care, but most importantly I became much more comfortable and confident in taking to patients and their families. Communication is such an important aspect of healthcare especially when it comes to patient care, so having that head start ahead of some of my classmates certainly made me feel much more comfortable to talk not only to the patients and their families but also to other staff members. In addition, the Health Scholar program also allowed me to rotate through some departments that I otherwise would not have experienced (or did not have a great experience) in nursing school, including perioperative services and couplet care. This provided me with more exposure into all the different fields of healthcare and I could gauge where I fit in best."

Clint Carnahan

Career Goal: "Currently I am studying to be a registered nurse. After gaining experience for a few years, my end goal is to get my masters and become a nurse practitioner."

"One moment that does stand out though would be a time at the very beginning. My friend and I were doing our first PRS in the program on the same unit. As expected, I was a little nervous. I was asked to do vitals on a patient that had an NG tube and did not speak English. As I was raising the bed and turning on the vitals machine, the patient got an uncomfortable look on her face. My friend saw that the patient was starting to get sick and grabbed the basin. I stopped what I was doing and called the nurse and grabbed some tissue for the patient's nose. As we waited with the patient while she was getting sick, we tried to comfort her as much as possible. We were able to tell the nurse what had happened as she checked the tube placement and made sure everything was alright. We were able to see the patient calm down and relax. It seems really small but that moment had a huge impact on my time in the program."

Amanda Hills

Career Goal: "I plan on getting my Masters in Nursing. I want to specialize in critical care and trauma."

"A patient came into the ED shaking and crying. She believed she was having a reaction to a new medication and she was extremely scared. Her respirations were deep and rapid and her heart rate was elevated. I kneeled down to her level (she was in a wheelchair) and took her hand. I told her to look at me and concentrate on my breaths and to breath with me. She did... she kept saying how scared she was. While vitals were being done on her, I made sure to hold her hand and breathe with her and told her to focus on me. She calmed down enough to tell me and the 1st nurse what was happening and to answer the questions that were vital in providing her appropriate care. She thanked me for my kindness and patience and said that I really helped her. I felt that by providing patient-centered care and meeting the patient at her level really helped build trust quickly. Taking the time to be with the patient on their terms and help them through a rough moment with patience and empathy made an impact on the patient and on me."

Jacquelyn Pogosyan

Career Goal: "My goal for a career in health care is to become a physician."

"Adventist Health Glendale is a great location to experience the program because of the amazing staff and all the opportunities it offers. For example, I was able to get a job as a Customer Care Associate which will help with my experience in health care. There are also other job positions looking to hire more Health Scholars. The staff on each unit love to educate the scholars and are very supportive."

"I am currently on the Labor and Delivery department. An instance that made the most impact on me was on my first shift, I witnessed a live birth. I was able to assist with holding the patients leg back while she was pushing. It was an amazing experience to watch from beginning to end. The emotions in the room when the baby was born was unexplainable. I fell in love with the unit ever since my first shift and I believe being in the program is worth it by getting to finish with Labor and Delivery."

Jennifer Anderson

Career Goal: "I’m very interested in genomic medicine or medical genetics. I want to learn how to utilize our DNA to predict and prevent diseases and tailor treatment plans to each individual patient."

"I was asked to feed a patient during one of my first rotations as a Health Scholar. As I was feeding her, she told me stories of how she used to be the one helping people. But now, because of her condition, she had to rely on others to help her. At this moment, I realized how much I wanted her to regain independence, so with the patient's consent, we alternated lifting the spoon to her mouth. Although this interaction may seem small, I learned how much autonomy truly means to patients. This instance motivates me as an aspiring physician to facilitate return to life with dignity and pride."

"Adventist Health Glendale provides care to a variety of patient populations and has an enthusiastic staff willing to interact with and teach Health Scholars. The combination of these factors makes the Health Scholar experience at AHGL enriching and insightful for any pre-health student looking for clinical experience."

Laura Vardanyan

Career Goal: "Throughout my experiences as a Health Scholar, a Medical Scribe, and a Medical Assistant, I have learned that caring for a patient is my greatest priority. I genuinely enjoy the interpersonal relationships built with patients and know the slightest impact on a patient's life makes the entire journey of pursuing medicine worthwhile."

"A memorable night at the Emergency Department would come to solidify my yearning for patient care. As the EMTs rushed the cardiac arrest patient into the room and continued performing CPR, I was taken aback by the onset of events that followed. Everyone in the room listened intently to the attending physician’s detailed instructions. He turned to me and said, “Would you like to continue administering CPR?” I was certain that I wanted to resuscitate the patient without any doubt. So, twenty minutes into the nonstop CPR, I finally felt the patient's pulse. As the patient transferred to the recovery room, I will never forget the smile on her face once she saw her family walk into her room. Moments like these constantly serve as a reminder of why I chose to pursue a profession in medicine."

Diana Hakobyan

Career Goal: "I am working towards an acceptance into medical school to one day become a physician!"

"When I first started the program, I was very interested in the Obstetrics and Gynecology specialty. I was counting down the days until I got to shift in the Labor and Delivery Department. The first vaginal birth I got to be a part of was one of the most memorable days of my life, and I cannot begin to express my gratitude to this program for allowing me to have such an experience. I could hear the patient screaming so I knew the baby was coming soon, but I was nervous to ask the nurses if I could go inside and watch. Thankfully, one of the surgical tech's was an angel and truly wanted to help us scholars learn. She asked the nurse for permission and got me inside the room. When I first got in the room I was amazed to see the seamless teamwork that the staff had whilst preparing for this birth. One of the nurses asked me to hold the patients leg. It felt amazing to have a role in the delivery and to create a contribution to the teamwork that I was witnessing. As the patient began pushing the doctor asked me to count during her contractions so that the doctor can focus on encouraging the patient along. As I counted to 10 the doctor would shower the mother in encouraging words and get her to keep pushing. The excitement that was building with every push as the baby got closer and closer is one that I had never felt. When the baby finally came out it was so heart whelming to see both mom and dad begin to cry while they made their first connection with their baby. Getting to not only witness my first birth, but also be involved in supporting the patient's leg as well as counting down while she pushed, filled me with such joy that I knew then and there I had to work as hard as I needed to in order to get to do this for the rest of my life."

Enxhi Papa

Career Goal: "Physician Assistant"

"It is hard to distinguish only one moment from my experience as a scholar as everyday I got to see and learn so much. I got to see many different procedures, from a simple catheter insertion to intubating patients, performing bronchoscopy on an elderly and observing my first code blue. However, what made the most impact on me was when I was asked to sit with a patient that was experiencing anxiety. I stood by them and held their hand as they were going through panic attacks. I listened to their concerns and together performed some deep breathing exercises. I walked the patient through meditation to lower their anxiety and be mindful. That was the moment I realized that being a good listener is so important as they are voicing their concerns. This helped in my career as a certified nursing assistant to really change a patient’s experience in the hospital as sometimes all we need is someone to listen to our concerns. I will continue to practice this when I become a Physician Assistant."

"AHG is one of the best hospitals in the country. The hospital has different units where scholars are able to experience a variety of patients/illnesses from the lower tiers (med-surg, orthopedics etc) to more advanced tiers such as stroke unit, emergency department, ICU and NICU. The staff is nice and helpful, and you could ask to observe and learn from them."

Christine Atamian

Career Goal: "Physician Assistant (PA)"

"My first rotation as a volunteer in the COPE Health Scholars Program was in the Orthopedics unit. After about two months into this rotation, I often worked with a specific CNA who was very welcoming and would do her best to incorporate me into helping the patients. One patient we assisted in particular left a lasting impact on me. This patient was legally blind, hearing impaired, paraplegic, and on a puree diet due to dysphagia and missing all of his teeth. His physical disabilities were extensive but his mental cognition remained intact. This patient has spent multiple weeks in our unit so the CNA was very familiar with his case. She brought me into his room to help change him and help feed him afterwards. I witnessed her patience as she loudly and repeatedly verbalized what we needed to do and explained to me how important it was to inform the patient before helping them, especially when their disabilities hinder them from seeing. As the patient became more comfortable with us, he disclosed how his disabilities came to be. His wife had committed suicide by jumping off of a building, and his grief led him to do the same. He had survived the jump but not without life-altering impairments. His heartbreaking story echoed repeatedly in my head as he started sobbing in memory of his late wife. The patient asked the CNA and I if he could sing her favorite song, and we sorrowfully encouraged him. The CNA praised his singing and excused herself from the room as tears streamed down her face. That patient’s story will remain with me as I cherish all I learned from him and the kindhearted CNA."

Fox Bravo

Career Goal: "Physician"

"While shifting as a Health Scholar in the Cardiac Catheterization Lab at AHGL, I was present in a procedure room after a coronary angiogram with stent placement. I was helping clean up the room when the patient suddenly became bradycardic. The team called the physician back, who quickly took control of the situation. He advised the nurse to push epinephrine and started preparing the patient for re-catheterization. The patient coded and the physician looked at me asking if I was CPR certified. I nodded my head and he told me to start chest compressions on the patient. The once cool procedure room started to feel hotter as the nurses and I took turns performing chest compressions as the physician looked for the source of the heart attack. After multiple attempts of resuscitation, the physician pronounced the patient dead, citing the cause of death as in-stent restenosis. My intense feelings were quelled by the physician's expertise and demeanor. This pivotal moment impacted me so strongly that I shifted my career plans from nursing to physician–even as I was one class away from completing all of my nursing prerequisites and taking the TEAS test."

"Adventist Health Glendale (AHGL) has so many different units that Health Scholars are able to shift through. Particularly unique is the ability for Health Scholars to enter observation units such as Labor and Delivery, Cardiac Cath Lab, and the Gastrointestinal Lab. Aside from the incredible units, the COPE Health Scholars Program at AHGL has an amazing Leadership Team with over 30 members. The team members uplift each other and guide each other towards reaching their career goals. Overall, I would highly recommend the Health Scholar Program at AHGL to anyone looking to join the Program!"

Gary Soloff

Career Goal: "Ultimately after a year of working on the floor continue my education to become a NP and then move into hospital leadership."

"I was rotating through the ICU and a patient coded on my shift. They were COVID so I was unable to do chest compressions but I observed the entire code standing next to the scribe and could see all that was going on. It was very raw and graphic as they tried to save their life. The chest compressions blew through their peritoneum and their pelvic area blew up to the size of a basketball. They needed a new Ambu bag and I was able to go retrieve it in addition to other supplies they were seeking. The nurse who was in the scribe role was walking me through the whole thing step by step. In fact as she was finalizing her notes I pointed out the they had an IO port and she didn't realize it so she corrected her documentation because of my observation."

"I was always interested in Healthcare but took a different path after graduating undergrad in 1992 from UCR. I spent the majority of my career in the Travel and Tourism space but always had my eye on healthcare. I always felt at home at the hospital and when helping out a sick family or friend my mind went into critical thinking mode about how to heal them. I would research studies, review medical journals and was always fascinated. About 10 years ago I began to research nursing programs but could not figure out how to compete pre-reqs and work full time. In 2019 I decided to search again and began volunteering at Cedars ED to see what it was like on the front line. Something clicked that first night in the ED and I started down the journey to complete pre-reqs. When COVID hit, and my day job slowed I was able to dive into pre-reqs. I excelled at all the classes and was compelled to apply to UCLA. In many ways it was always a calling it just took a bit of time to get there and COPE really helped solidify my decision.

Dianne Do

Career Goal: "NP specializing in aesthetics"

"The program gave me amazing insight on how to navigate a hospital/healthcare setting. I would have never gotten that experience without the program letting me dive head first in. The program has shaped my growth by helping me figure out what I wanted to focus on and then letting me thrive."

"I loved the nurses I worked with in couplet care because everyone was so inviting and willing to teach. I also thought that when Francesca took over, she really excelled at her job and made me feel like a person, not just another health scholar."

"I think my time rotating in couplet care was the most impactful for me because I had the most fun and learned the most there. I loved being with all the happy moms and nurses seeing and experiencing new life. Every shift really uplifted my spirits and I always left feeling good about my contribution. I loved it so much I rotated there twice."

Matt Kenady

Career Goal: "To become a Registered Nurse and eventually a Nurse Practitioner"

"The most impactful experience I had was when I was in Ortho-Surgery and a Health Scholars was shadowing me for their PRS. When I was going around the floor, I explained to the Scholar that it was important for them to find time to introduce yourself to the patients and talk a little about yourself. This way, you can build on your communication skills while giving the patients some company. One patient that we got to see was an old man who was very happy to see us. He got to talking about his life story, like where he was from, how he met his wife to secure their citizenship, and the languages and skills he learned while being in this country. We must have spoken for over 20 minutes, and the patient was very appreciative of our help and care. The fact that I got to have my most personal conversation with a patient while I had a Scholar shadowing me was a great opportunity to showcase the importance of communicating and relating to patients, and it was this aspect that I developed and valued the most while I was a Health Scholar."

Princess Nuñez Luna

Career Goal: "My goals in the health care career is being a pediatric nurse"

"The experience that has made an impact in me the most was when I was doing my hours at the hospital, I was helping a CNA with something and they called a certain code which I can’t remember but all the nurses from all the departments started running to the patients room that they called the code for. One of the nurses was looking for a suction tube, as soon as I heard that I ran to the room closest to me and I found a suction tube and took to the nurse as soon as possible I wasn’t able to interact with the patient, since it’s not in my scope, I couldn’t do anything else to help but I did help the nurses and CNA. The nurse thanked me for what I did and how I acted fast and didn’t waste time in looking for the suction tube."

"Participating in the program has helped me a lot because since I am now starting my healthcare career it is a great department to start at because I get to see if everything and experience and of everything. In the past I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to handle a lot but being in the program so far I know that I’m ready for anything that’s comes my way."

Lara Parsekhian

Career Goal: "Physician"

"I think the foundation that I was able to get from this program, especially considering that I did not have any prior background in healthcare, was pivotal in helping me navigate in a hospital setting. Additionally, every interview I went on for medical school was very pleased about the hands-on experience I had with patients."

"I don't think I could pick just one thing because I did spend almost 3 years at this program with over 680 hours of floor time, and the environment of this hospital, the people inside it, and all the insight i was able to gain from being in were all so invaluable."

Kimberly Jensen

Career Goal: "MD for the Air Force"

"During one of my shifts on the Med-Surge rotation I was assisting the CNA with an elderly patient who was confused. She did not know where she was and could not finish a complete thought most of the time. While helping the CNA, I managed to keep her calm by asking her questions about her old job and family. Doing this allowed the CNA and I do complete the tasks we needed to do. This conversation seemed to keep the patient happy too. Being able to keep the patient calm so we could do what needed to be done allowed me to feel useful and feel that I may have done some real good while on shift. I believe I brought her comfort, which makes me want to help even more like her."

Miguel Santiago

Career Goal: "Continue to learn new aspect of heath care and to continue to grow in my career."

"During my rotation as a cope health scholar I had the privilege to rotate in different units throughout Adventist health Glendale. One of the most impactful and memorable rotations was surgical telemetry and human resources. During my time in STU I was greeted by Silvia the monitor tech and Nina the certified nurse assistant who took the time to teach me skills and knowledge they had accumulated throughout the years of working at the hospital. My rotation in human resources help me understand different policies and programs that are instated throughout the hospital during this rotation I had the pleasure of working with Sally Munoz and Eileen Legaspi as well as Alex in the front desk who took the time to teach me and empowered me with task The help improve my skills."

Sufa Hassan

Career Goal:

"Physician Assistant"

"I think the most impactful experience I have had in the COPE scholar program is seeing a patient pass away in CITU. I had shifted twice in that week and interacted many times with this particular patient. This, so just so happened to be the most positive patient on the floor, an elderly man who always had a smile on his face. When I walked into his room, I would interact the most with this patient as he was the most talkative and sweetest elderly man. He talk to me about his wife and how he missed her and other personal stories, while I completed duties as a cope scholar, such as bringing him water, and helping him with his respiration exercises. During my second shift of that week as I was heading out I saw staff rushing in to his room with a crash cart. Curious to see what was going on. I followed them into the room and saw CPR being done in real life for the first time. I watched for half an hour as this patient’s pulse came back only to leave again, and eventually the staff called the time of death. This was impactful on me as I have never seen that before in this way and it brought a new meaning of life and practicing medicine to me."

Christine Shahnazarian

Career Goal:

"Medical School"

"I have only shifted twice so far but there is so much I can tell already! Just the fact that I get to have one on one conversations with the patients and make them feel welcomed is enough to rate my experience a 10/10. I saw the smile on their faces when Armenian speakers found out I was Armenian, especially the elders. I made sure to comfort them by asking them if they want a blanket, if they are comfortable, or if they need me to pass anything down to their nurse."

"One way my participation has enhanced my growth in health care are the nurses, CNA’s, and physical therapists that I get to see performing procedures or interacting with patients."

Elizabeth Tadevosyan

Career Goal: "My goal is to become a physician and hopefully match into the residency of my choosing. I am keeping an open mind now as an M1, but looking forward to seeing which specialties will be intriguing to me."

"While in L&D I was able to observe a delivery during most of my shifts. On this particular day, there were few expecting mothers and I passed my time with tasks such as delivering lunch trays to patients. As I approached the end of the hall to serve the final tray, a sign on the patient's door read ‘isolation’, which was a rare occurrence in L&D. As soon as I entered room, the patient burst into tears, provoked by my PPE- as it represented a barrier to her. She explained that her abnormally swollen legs concerned doctors and resulted in an emergency c-section. She was then placed into precautionary isolation and separated from her premature baby, who was rushed to the NICU. I spent the rest of my shift with her and promised to return every day to keep her company. To make her more comfortable, I would clean her room and change her sheets while she showered. We played card games and talked about life, until finally, a nurse entered the room informing us that the precautions had been lifted. Overcome with excitement, she and I rushed out of the room and headed to the NICU, hand in hand, where we met her baby for the first time, together. Experiencing this emotional resolution to a patient's hospital stay was extremely rewarding and I am grateful for the opportunity to offer my support while she navigated this difficult chapter of her life."

Sarah Hasel

Career Goal: "Physician"

"Though I've had shifts in which I was able to do chest compressions, stop patients from pulling out urinary catheters, and look for missing patients, nothing has been as impactful as talking with a patient. During my first rotation, I was placed onto a med-surg floor, where I met an elderly woman who was bound to be in the hospital for a while. Through our initial conversations, I learned that her family lived across country and were not able to visit her. After learning this, I picked up extra shifts and spent as much time as I could with her. The way her face lit up when I came into her room made my shifts so much better. Coming into my shift one day, a nurse who knew I was close with the patient broke the news that she had passed away during the night. I was absolutely devastated but having been able to be a source of comfort for her during her last weeks had a profound impact on me. Though I’ve faced death and pain at AHGL, I’ve also witnessed hope and healing through my many interactions with patients, their family, and staff."

"AHGL is such a great location to experience the Health Scholar program because of how many different units Scholars can shift through. Glendale has something for everyone which can really help Scholars narrow down specialities and professions that they like or don't like--which is something that is so important to know before committing to a professional school."

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