I was born in Washington, D.C., but my parents were born in El Salvador. I attend Dozier Libbey Medical High School, which is located in Antioch, and this summer I served as an intern in the Health Education Department at the Kaiser Permanente Antioch Medical Center.
My KP LAUNCH internship has been the highlight of my summer. What attracted me to the internship program was that I’ve always wanted to learn more about health care and how Kaiser Permanente runs daily. This was the opportunity of a lifetime, and I got to learn more about how to interact with patients and the hospital environment.
My favorite memory of the internship was helping a patient enroll in a tobacco class — she wanted to begin her journey to quit smoking. It really touched my heart because she told me how dedicated she was to finally quitting for good and that she knew Kaiser Permanente would help her do just that.
My dream has always been to become a surgeon, and this program has motivated me to keep pursuing this career. My plan for my future is to attend UC Davis and major in community and regional development. Then, I’d like to go to medical school and continue my journey to become an orthopedic or trauma surgeon. I would love to work with Kaiser Permanente one day. I am truly grateful to KP LAUNCH for providing me with this amazing learning experience that has prepared me for the real world.