Healthcare Career Workshop – La Clínica
Healthcare Career Workshop – La Clínica
Written by: Rachel Romero, Liseth Archila and Sofia Ledesema
La Clínica has a long standing history of being an integral part of local communities through their commitment to providing comprehensive, culturally-sensitive health services to diverse patient populations across the greater Bay Area. In April 2017, the organization initiated the Health Ambassadors Program to respond to the shortage in healthcare professionals who have the language/cultural familiarity to serve diverse patients. Its effort focuses on supporting their existing services and offers volunteers the opportunity to get hands on experience in roles such as health coaching, behavioral health, and medical office administration. Based on a satisfaction survey in 2018, there’s a 97.5% satisfaction rate amongst Health Ambassadors.
This summer marked an exciting milestone in the program’s ongoing progress with the first volunteer organized Healthcare Career Workshop on August 24, 2018. The event was spearheaded by three Health Ambassadors: Rachel Romero, Liseth Archila and Sofia Ledesema. Romero states, “This project started out as merely an idea. Many of us bonded at orientation and wanted to see each other again, but at the time, there was not a meeting set in place to do so. A group of us took it upon ourselves to plan an event that would serve as an opportunity for our cohort to reconnect and share our experiences.”
The committee worked together to collaboratively plan several group activities in addition to an hour long panel facilitated by eight La Clínica health professionals from varying disciplines. “I learned about all the careers I can have if I want to go into the healthcare field,” says Ledesema. “When thinking about a career in the healthcare field I used to think that nurse and doctor were my only options. Through this workshop I was exposed to many other careers that I feel are a better fit for me.”
The Healthcare Career Workshop falls under the OSHPD grant initiative that aims to improve La Clínica’s Health Ambassador Program by providing educational workshops for volunteers focused on professional development and exposure to various healthcare related careers. The hope is that volunteers will continue to create these workshops and initiate at least two more events by June 2019. Many volunteers are in the process of navigating their education and careers, and this program allows them to create workshops that cater to the needs of fellow aspiring health professionals.
The first Health Career Workshop was a success. La Clínica staff recognized the merit of this opportunity. SANHC Clinic Manager, Teena-Marie Benitez-Gonzalez, adds that “It was really nice to be a part of the panel. I love doing things like this, especially since members of my team were also able to go and experience it. I know Mayra and Dr. Chavez-Johnson loved it! Thanks again!”
The current Health Care Career Workshop Committee extends their thanks to all those who helped make this vision a reality, especially Jeanette Alcaraz, La Clínica’s Volunteer / Student Coordinator. They also encourage Health Ambassadors to get involved in future projects! “Get involved and challenge yourself!”, urges Liseth Archila. “You will learn about all the amazing things you accomplish.”
About our Healthcare Workshop Committee Team
Liseth is a senior at CSU, East Bay where she is majoring in health science. Her goals is to enter the master’s program in public health at UC Berkeley and then get a Ph.D. She would like continue to be involved in the community through health education and research.
Rachel is a graduate of Indiana University working as a medical scribe in a primary care office in Berkeley. She is currently applying to master’s in nursing programs with the hopes of becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner.
Sofia is a second year student at UC Davis studying human development. Her goal is to become a social worker.