Sacramento Teens Train as Future Doctors Through Valley High’s Health Tech Academy

In south Sacramento, the next generation of medical professionals is already at work — and they’re still in high school. Valley High School’s Health Tech Academy trains students to become doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers through real-world experience serving their own community.

The students, dressed in scrubs, conduct vision screenings, check blood pressure, and provide nutrition and health education in a mini-clinic right on campus. Under the guidance of longtime teacher Rodney Black, the program gives students from underserved backgrounds a chance to explore healthcare careers and gain valuable experience early.

“The Spanish-speaking population is the largest in California and also one of the most medically underserved,” said Black. “We’re preparing future doctors who look like the communities they serve and who speak the same language.”

Students like Dayannis Sanchez and Anthony Gonzalez say the program has given them a sense of purpose. “It’s not like, ‘I have to do this,’” Sanchez said. “It’s, ‘I get to do this. I get to help my community.’”

Patients who visit the student-run clinic often say they receive more personal attention than at busy hospitals. “Doctors are often in a hurry,” said patient Richard Rowland. “These students take the time to really learn about you.”

The Health Tech Academy, which offers California’s first high school-based Community Health Worker certification program, also sends students to weekend health fairs to provide free blood pressure checks and nutrition advice.

Civil rights leader Dolores Huerta recently visited the program, encouraging students with her signature chant: “¡Sí, se puede!”

For these young health leaders, the motto rings true — they’re breaking barriers and building a healthier future for California.

Credit: CNN Newsource
Explore: NBCPalmSprings.com, where we are connecting the Valley.