Chino Valley Medical Center was founded in 1972, now in 2023 it still exists as a thriving hospital treating the community around and even outside Chino. Although it’s a small hospital it offers most of the services any big city hospital would. From the emergency room to medical-surgical nursing to discharge Chino Valley Hospital has all the resources to help.

Through the Chino Valley Student Pathway Program high school students are able to shadow healthcare professionals in multiple professions. The internship takes place two days a week, either Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday for two hours. Each week you visit a new department and work with the staff there. They can give you jobs such as answering phones, helping patients with tasks, delivering things or paperwork. 

When most think about the hospital they think about nurses or doctors, but there are many more people behind the scenes that I have had the opportunity to shadow that run the hospital as well. For example, I got the chance to shadow the workers in Case Management and see the great work they do. In case management, the employees call back patients to see how they’re doing after being released, help patients find transportation and discharge and overall show the care Chino Valley has for their patients even after they’ve left the hospital. 

Spending time at the front desk I was able to greet visitors, direct them to their rooms and help them find their way around the hospital. Being the first face and a friendly one while a loved one is in the hospital is able to provide comfort beyond comparison to a visitor coming in.

  Overall you can see the way that the nurses and other staff love their job and love their patients despite long hours or difficult assignments. A highlight of this internship is the fact that Chino Valley Medical Center is a small hospital. This allows interns more ability to work hands on, the healthcare workers the ability to teach and mold interns and it allows the staff to know and recognize your face. After each assignment I have been able to still go up to staff I have shadowed and they remember my name and greet me kindly which makes me so more open to coming in for my shifts.  Day after day the employees I have shadowed have given me advice, shown me the ropes kindly and talked about how and why they love their job so much. 

The Student Pathway Program is a great opportunity to anyone looking to pursue a job in the medical field. It allows you to be hands on and grasp concepts that might help you determine if this is really the career for you. Additionally it shows you more office or behind the scene options which allows you to visit other career opportunities if you are interested in the medical field but might not want to be as hands on. This has been a great experience for me and I am so excited to continue.