Five Madera South High School Certified Nursing Assistant students have been chosen for the first cohort of the California Area Health Education Center Scholars program. Photo via Camarena Health

Camarena Health is partnering with local Central Valley entities to recruit, train and retain health professionals in underserved communities. 

Camarena Health has partnered with Central Valley Health Network to provide the opportunity for Madera Unified Certified Nursing Assistant students to participate in the California Area Health Education Center Scholars program, which helps recruit health care workers.

Five Madera South High School Certified Nursing Assistant students have been chosen for the first cohort: Perla Reyes, Ruby Tiscareno, Azucena Eugenio-Vasquez, Jenny Alvarez and Ana Boch. The Scholars program gave $1,000 scholarships to all five students for completing the program.

Through this opportunity, scholars can explore the primary care setting and enhance their skills through a variety of experiences. 

The California Area Health Education Center Scholars program has a three-part curriculum, including 40 hours of online curriculum, taught by UCSF-Fresno instructors. The 40-hour clinical training allows students to explore different disciplines while interacting and engaging with Camarena Health patients in underserved areas. The curriculum also includes a community-based health project where students identify a need in a rural community and make a plan to address it.  

“The AHEC Scholars program gave Madera Unified District students the ability to participate in a unique program in which students are provided the opportunity to connect with their community through a variety of experiences,” said Camarena Health Workforce Development

Manager Jazmin Rios. “The goal is to ultimately enhance their skills are they pursue careers in healthcare, better preparing them for their futures.”

The five students were placed at Camarena Health Urgent Care, Camarena Kids, Almond Women’s Health and 6th Street Health Center locations. The students chose to collaborate and develop a brochure to address and educate patients on the importance of vaccines and well-child visits. 

The program has influenced these students to pursue health care careers – Reyes and Eugenio-Vasquez will both pursue nursing, Tiscareno will major in biology, Alvarez will major in chemistry and Boch will major in neuroscience.

“The students that participated in this program were eager to learn about their communities needs and how to support them,” said Rios. “They participated in our COVID-19 vaccination clinics during their free time, assisted patients with questions, and assisted with the completions of forms. They were excited to help patients and arrived ready and with a smile.”