KP LAUNCH Students Soar in Summer Program

For seven weeks during the summer, Kaiser Permanente Fresno was home to four KP LAUNCH (Learning About Unlimited New Careers in Health care) interns from Fresno area high schools. As part of the program, interns received weekly professional development instruction and explored health care career opportunities.

Ishan Singh, a recent graduate of Sunnyside High School, plans on attending Vanderbilt University in the fall. This was Singh’s second year participating in KP LAUNCH. As a 2021 participant, Singh participated in a virtual program meeting with KP team members and taking classes on KP Learn. “This year I worked primarily with Safety and learned about FIT testing, OSHA regulations, and rounding,” Singh said. “I also had the chance to work in Telemetry and the Operating Room, so I feel like I got to see a lot.” As the interns rotated through different departments, they got a better understanding for how the departments can overlap and work together.

Sunnyside High School Senior Diana Gasga was working in Respiratory Therapy when her team was called to the Birthing Center to help a laboring mother. “I got a clear view of what was going on. It was scary at first, but then the baby was out, and the mom was so happy. She forgot about the pain, and it was such a beautiful moment,” Gasga said.

Buchanan High School Senior Ashley Park knew she wanted to pursue a nursing career. Because of this program, she narrowed in on possibly becoming a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA).“I had the chance to sit in with some CRNAs and talk to them. They all really enjoy their jobs,” Park said.

Sunnyside High School Senior Jerianna Santos was drawn to working in the Birthing Center or Intermediate Care Nursery. Due to the recent high census, she was able to help during a busy time. “I really enjoyed the Birthing Center. Originally, the OR wasn’t an option for me. It wasn’t something I was interested in,” Santos said. “Now that I’ve experienced it, I’ve narrowed down my choices to working in labor and delivery or the OR in the future.”

The Sunnyside High School students have been part of their school’s Doctors Academy program. They are grateful to KP Fresno staff for making them feel welcome and part of the team. “My friends at other locations said they feel like they’re just in the corners shadowing and observing. At KP Fresno, we’ve been given more access to experience the real life, day-to-day issues of a hospital,” Singh said. “Even though I was just a high school student, I was treated with a sense of professionalism and allowed to put whatever skills I had to use.”

The Northern California KP LAUNCH program hosted 174 high school and 99 college interns, primarily from diverse backgrounds, to gain exposure to clinical and non-clinical health care careers.

The program at KP Fresno ended on Augusts 5th with a celebratory lunch. The interns expressed their gratitude for the professionals who shared their experiences and gave advice about health care careers.