This is Part of an $800,000 Commitment Launched Last Year
LOS ANGELES – COVID-19 exacerbated existing health care staffing shortages. In fact, the health care sector lost millions of workers during the pandemic, and it’s going to take a multipronged effort to recover from the turnover and increase the health care workforce where the numbers were already too low to meet demand. L.A. Care Health Plan, the largest publicly operated health plan in the country, is working to get more people of color into the health careers pipeline. Today, in partnership with Health Career Connection (HCC), the health plan is announcing the second group of 31 trainees in its Health Careers Internship Program.
Over a three-year period, L.A. Care is investing $800,000 to support a total of 96 summer internship positions for college students and recent graduates who are pursuing a career in health, and who have a desire to work in underserved communities. This investment is expanding and scaling HCC’s pipeline program to recruit and prepare students from underrepresented and low-income backgrounds for health careers.
“These interns come from marginalized or disadvantaged backgrounds, similar to many of our members at L.A. Care,” said John Baackes, L.A. Care CEO. “We know that having health care workers from similar backgrounds as their patients will lead to better health outcomes. These interns are just the type of people who can provide the culturally competent care our members deserve.”
This internship program is part of L.A. Care’s Elevating the Safety Net initiative, a $155 million commitment to address the physician shortage in the Los Angeles County safety net. Over a 10-week period this summer, the interns will support various clinical and programmatic activities while interning at L.A. County community clinics, community-based organizations or L.A. Care.
Valentin Huerta, who graduated last month from UC Berkeley with a degree in Public Health, is eager to gain real world health care experience while interning at L.A. Care Health Plan.
“Working with L.A. Care’s Safety Net Initiative team will allow me to work for and represent individuals who face similar circumstances as myself,” said Huerta. ”This internship is giving me an opportunity to make changes, which will provide underserved communities with the opportunities that I wish I had been able to access when I was younger.”
Abeerah Siddiqui, who is working toward an Environmental Sciences degree at USC and who ultimately wants to be a physician, will intern at the Harbor UCLA Medical Center Summer Urban Health Fellowship (SUHF).
“I want to contribute to SUHF’s mission of raising awareness about issues that underserved and marginalized communities face,” said Siddiqui. ”This internship will allow me to promote the importance of health care and understand how health outcomes are impacted by environmental factors. I intend to pursue a career in medicine, as well as public health.”
The interns will receive a stipend of up to $4,200, which can be applied to personal expenses and/or future educational endeavors. Interns will also receive post-internship career guidance, health care career pipeline navigation and academic application assistance to support their future endeavors in preparation to work in L.A. County’s safety net.