The Doctor's Academy at UCSF Fresno connects high school students with physicians and provides hands-on experience in health care settings.
Program participants spend time shadowing medical professionals and learning about careers in medicine.
"The students are doing about 10 hours per week to shadow clinics and hospitals throughout Fresno County. And so we have two high schools: Sunnyside High School and Caruthers High School," said Angela Allison of the UCSF Fresno Office of Health Career Pathways pre college supervisor.
Among the program's alumni is Dr. Anuvir Singh, a graduating resident at UCSF Fresno. Dr. Singh joined the Doctor's Academy as a teenager after moving to Caruthers from India and credits the experience with helping shape his career.
"For me, it's really important for me to give back because that experience really opened up many doors for me. I wanted to do the same for the next generation and folks from underserved backgrounds, especially in rural areas," Dr. Singh said.
Dr. Singh said he benefited from several mentors during his time in the program and is now stepping into that role himself.
"It kind of feels like a full circle moment right now," he said.
One of the students he mentors is Caruthers High School student Beatriz Huerta, who said observing Dr. Singh at work has been a valuable experience.
"It was still amazing. We got to see how he treats patients and all the serious things that occurred during that time. It was a bit stressful, but it was also impressive how he was able to remain calm during that time," Huerta said.
This summer, Dr. Singh will become a faculty member with UCSF Fresno's Department of Emergency Medicine. He will also take on an outreach-focused leadership role.
"I'm also going to be emergency medicine's Director of Outreach Opportunity and Community Engagement," Dr. Singh said.
As he begins his new position, Dr. Singh said he hopes to strengthen connections with students interested in health care careers and continue supporting pipeline programs such as the Doctor's Academy.
"I will be inviting pipeline programs, including the Doctor's Academy program and being the contact person for these programs so we can continue to spread this teaching across for high school students and beyond," Dr. Singh said.
Dr. Singh said he hopes his work will help create opportunities for future students pursuing careers in medicine.
For news updates, follow Danyelle Burke North on Instagram and TikTok.