Frequently asked questions

Healthcare Pathway Advocates (HPA) is a California nonprofit, fiscally sponsored by Community Initiatives, that connects high school students in rural and underserved communities to allied health careers through certification training, mentorship, job shadowing and internship placement.

First step as a student you should complete the student pre assessment merit /survey. You can also apply for internship by contacting Irene at Healthcare Pathway Advocates through contact us on the website form, or reaching out to her at Irene@healthcarepathwayadvocates.com who will guide you. If you are still in high school you can speak with your counselors at your school or reach out to participating healthcare providers directly. They will guide you through the application process and provide necessary information. If you would like more information check out our student page

While a four-year university can be beneficial for some healthcare careers, the Healthcare Pathway Advocates offers various options, including industry recognized licensures, certifications and associate degrees, that can lead to rewarding healthcare professions without a traditional four-year degree.

Yes, many career technical education programs in high school, adult school and post-secondary settings offer certifications and licenses that are recognized by healthcare employers, making you more employable upon graduation.

The Healthcare Pathway Advocates offers a connection to exploration in fields like nursing, medical assisting, pharmacy technology, radiologic technology, dental hygiene, EMT, phlebotomist and more , giving you a wide range of options to explore.

Yes. The coursework HPA connects students to, including the 90 Day Medical Assistant Mastery Course, is offered online by HPA's industry-leader partners, so students in remote foothill and valley communities can train without commuting. There is no district enrollment requirement: a student in any community across the region can take part. HPA does not run the training itself. It connects students to the partners who do, and course offerings expand and change as those partnerships grow.

HPA partners with four school districts: Amador County Unified School District, Calaveras Unified School District, Mariposa County Unified School District, and Patterson Joint Unified School District. Partner campuses include Calaveras High School in San Andreas, Bret Harte High School in Angels Camp, and Mountain Oaks School.

HPA serves students across Amador, Calaveras, Mariposa, Tuolumne and Stanislaus counties in California, covering towns including Jackson, Sutter Creek, Ione, Angels Camp, San Andreas, Valley Springs, Murphys, Arnold, Sonora, Jamestown, Twain Harte, Groveland, Mariposa, Coulterville, Catheys Valley, Patterson, Newman, Crows Landing and Westley.

HPA programs are open to high school students across California's Mother Lode, San Joaquin Valley and Sierra Nevada regions. Because the coursework is online, there is no district enrollment requirement, so students outside HPA's four partner districts are welcome to apply. Students complete a short pre-assessment that determines fit and unlocks program orientation, registration and the full set of HPA services, including mentorship, wraparound support and college navigation.

Students apply through the student internship application on the Healthcare Pathway Advocates website, they complete a pre-assessment form that determines fit for both internships and scholarships. Once the pre-assessment is reviewed, HPA follows up with orientation details, registration and next steps toward certification and placement.

The 90 Day Medical Assistant Mastery Course is the core online course HPA connects students to, offered by its industry-leader partners: patient-centered training that builds the essential soft skills employers look for. Students take it online, which means a student in a remote foothill town can take the same course as anyone else. It runs alongside one-on-one mentorship, job shadowing with local health employers, exclusive health career fairs, and exposure to both public and private postsecondary training providers, all part of the Allied Healthcare Bridge Initiative.

No. HPA's programs are completely free for students. Grant funding covers classes, certifications, internships and job shadowing, so students have no out-of-pocket expenses at any point in the program.

Healthcare Pathway Advocates provides free healthcare career guidance to high school students across Amador, Calaveras, Mariposa, Tuolumne and Stanislaus counties, covering California's Mother Lode, San Joaquin Valley and Sierra Nevada regions. Students receive one-on-one mentorship, college navigation, health career fairs, and help choosing an allied health path, whether that is medical assistant, certified nursing assistant, phlebotomy or emergency medical services. There is no cost to students and no district enrollment requirement, so a student in any community across the region can take part.

Yes. With a $500,000 grant from the Centene Foundation, and a $100,000 grant from Health Net. HPA and its industry-leader partners are building more than 80 paid internship placements with hospitals and clinics across the Mother Lode, San Joaquin Valley and Sierra Nevada regions. Sites open to students as each partnership comes together, so the best step is to start the coursework and complete the pre-assessment now, then ask HPA what is opening near you. The employers provide the placements; HPA prepares students, guides them through the process and stays with them along the way. Every placement is paid, with the hourly wage varying by placement and funding cycle.

Yes. The coursework is online and open to students across the region, so you do not need to attend a partner district to take part. It only has to be in the regions we serve. HPA's four district partnerships are working relationships with schools. Start with the online pre-assessment on the website. Start online courses and HPA will lead you to what is opening near you as internship sites come together.

Clinics, hospitals, funders and school districts can partner with HPA by contacting the organization through its website's contact page. HPA's partners include the Centene Foundation, Health Net, the California Health Care Foundation and the Calaveras Community Foundation, whose support funds student programs; healthcare providers including Dignity Health, MACT Health Board Inc. and Foothill Clinics; and workforce partners including San Joaquin A+. HPA prepares students, connects them to these opportunities and supports them throughout.

Yes. HPA offers scholarships alongside its paid internships. One pre-assessment determines a student's fit for both, and wraparound support also covers certification fees and college navigation, so students can pursue a healthcare career with no out-of-pocket costs.

For high school students in rural Northern and Central California, Healthcare Pathway Advocates connects students to online allied health coursework taught by its industry partners, beginning with the 90 Day Medical Assistant Mastery Course for students starting at entry level. Alongside the coursework, students receive one-on-one mentorship, job shadowing with local healthcare employers, college navigation, and help with certification fees and transportation. The program is free to students, funded by grants from the Centene Foundation and Health Net, and open to students across the Mother Lode, San Joaquin Valley and Sierra Nevada regions.

In rural California, clinical experience usually comes through job shadowing, internships and placements with local hospitals and clinics rather than large teaching hospitals. Healthcare Pathway Advocates connects high school students across the Mother Lode, San Joaquin Valley and Sierra Nevada to job shadowing with local healthcare employers, and with a $500,000 grant from the Centene Foundation is building more than 80 paid internship placements with hospitals and clinics across the foothills. Placements open to students as each site comes together, every placement is paid, and students pay nothing to take part.

Most healthcare careers begin with an entry-level certification rather than a four-year degree. A student starts with a credential such as medical assistant, certified nursing assistant or phlebotomy technician, gains clinical hours through job shadowing or a paid internship, then builds toward further training if they choose. In California's Mother Lode, San Joaquin Valley and Sierra Nevada regions, Healthcare Pathway Advocates guides high school students through that sequence at no cost, from the first online course through certification, mentorship and placement with local healthcare employers.

Starting healthcare coursework in high school means a student can hold an industry-recognized certification before they graduate, reach paid work sooner, and find out whether a healthcare career suits them before committing years to it. Through Healthcare Pathway Advocates, students across California's Mother Lode, San Joaquin Valley and Sierra Nevada take online allied health coursework from industry partners at no cost, with mentorship, job shadowing, college navigation and help with certification fees alongside it. There is no cost to students or families, ever.