Eight aspiring respiratory therapists just completed a hands-on learning experience to help prepare them for the next step in their careers.
Through mentorship with seasoned therapists, patient care experiences, and exposure to hospital operations, interns gain invaluable experiences. The Kaiser Permanente Respiratory Care Summer Internship Program launched in 2025 to help address a shortage of respiratory therapists following the COVID-19 pandemic. Running from June to early September, the program gave top respiratory care students the opportunity to apply classroom learning in a clinical setting while pursuing bachelor’s degrees in respiratory care.
“It was a great experience,” said Oakland Medical Center intern Lana Shipman. “My mentor and I were like Batman and Robin.”
Working closely with her mentor, Niyaz “Nini” Hameditolooei, Shipman was encouraged to engage.
“My mentor trusted me to take an active role in patient care,” Shipman said. “It was nice to be treated like a respiratory therapist and not just a student.”
The internship also helped her make the most of the time between graduating from the respiratory therapy program at Foothill College and taking her licensing exams.
“Practice makes perfect,” she said. “There was no gap in my training. I gained practical experience and learned a lot about how Kaiser Permanente operates.”
Shaping the future
Mark Christopher Arnobit, another Oakland Medical Center intern, had a similar experience with his mentor, Mario Gallardo. After a brief orientation period, Gallardo gave him increasing independence in caring for patients.
“As students, we usually don’t have much of a say,” Arnobit said. “But here I had the opportunity to make decisions and deliver patient care.”
Gallardo intentionally treated Arnobit as a colleague.
“Giving him the freedom to practice helped build confidence in his abilities,” Gallardo said.
To broaden Arnobit’s experience, Gallardo exposed him to respiratory care across multiple hospital settings, including the Emergency Department, intensive care units, and pediatrics.
“We bonded quickly and became colleagues,” Gallardo said.
Peggy Bartram, respiratory care manager at the Oakland Medical Center and a respiratory therapist for more than 30 years, said the program is an investment.
“It allows us to shape the future of respiratory care,” Bartram said. “Students come enthusiastically and are passionate about the work. We help them build good habits, learn how to prioritize patients, and gain confidence working with physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals.”
Both Arnobit and Shipman said they highly recommend the internship to other students.
Arnobit said the program helped him refine his skills and gain confidence. For Shipman, the experience gave her a chance to develop her own approach to patient care.
“It was a light-bulb moment,” she said. “You learn how to find your own way, with support to help you blossom. I’m going to carry this experience with me throughout my career.”
