Students from Visalia high schools explored the diverse world of healthcare during the Doc Build and Navigate Your Destiny (Doc B.A.N.D.) event at Kaweah Health. The event provided high school students interested in healthcare careers with hands-on opportunities in Kaweah Health’s nationally recognized Simulation Laboratory (SIM Lab), as well as a dinner where students could ask questions of medical professionals to explore various medical professions.
“This event is so much more than just a tour or a career day. It’s about inspiring the next generation of healthcare professionals and investing directly in our community’s future,” said Marc Mertz, Kaweah Health’s Chief Strategy Officer. “By bringing local students into our SIM Lab and giving them a chance to interact closely with our doctors, nurses, and other professionals, we’re opening windows into possible career paths they might never have imagined.”
At the SIM Lab, participants rotated through six interactive stations: Stop the Bleed, Intubation, CPR, Physical Therapy, Labor and Delivery, and Ultrasound. At each station, students practiced their skills using medical manikins, gaining practical insights into different healthcare specialties.
“I’m interested in nursing, and I thought this would help me know what is to come in the future,” said Ana Castaneda, an El Diamonte student, after carefully practicing intubation techniques on a medical manikin.
Golden West anatomy and physiology teacher Taryan Yocum praised the event’s broader educational impact.
“I think that we have limited ideas about what we can do,” Yocum said. “We think ‘I want to be a doctor’ but we don’t really know what is out there, how many specialties there are. I like that this shows them they have so many more opportunities.”
El Diamonte student Daniel Ngo had his eyes opened to new possibilities after trying out the electrodes in the physical therapy demonstration. The physical therapist placed the electrodes on his bicep and then gradually increased the amount of shock until his muscle contracted enough to move his arm.
“I was hoping they would have something about dermatology because that is what I’m interested in, but this has been good at reminding me about what else is out there,” Ngo said. “I want to broaden my horizons. I don’t want to box myself in.”
The Doc B.A.N.D. experience continued with a unique networking opportunity: students shared dinner with local doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals, allowing for candid conversations about healthcare career paths. This intimate setting gave aspiring medical professionals a chance to ask questions, hear personal stories, and gain insider perspectives on the challenges and rewards of working in healthcare.
“Part of taking care of our community includes educating those who will be the next healthcare workers,” Mertz said. “We’re showing them the incredible, meaningful work we do and helping them see themselves as future caregivers.”