Palm Desert High School has four career pathways now, one of which is the Health Academy. The academy has been at Palm Desert High since 2010 and is coordinated by teacher Mr. Ron Paiz. The Health Academy has given many students an advantage over others considering health careers by teaching medical terminology, basic medical skills, and taking interactive field trips. One of the objectives that Palm Desert Health Academy is known for is preparing students for the future, no matter what profession they choose. Recently, the Health Academy students all participated in a mock interview including; professional attire, a real portfolio created by the students, and even interviews with medical professionals, and feedback on the interview process.

“The mock interviews are helping prepare me for real life interviews that I may have in the future,” said 10th grade student Scarlett Zepeda.

“The interviews provided an educational insight as to what we have to look forward to in the future when applying for a job or in general when talking to someone who could provide different opportunities in our futures,” mentioned Leyla Martinez (10th).

Another big part of the Health Academy is the terminology involved. The students are required to learn all of the main abbreviations and terms used in the medical field. They are then tested on their knowledge and receive a certificate if they pass both tests.

“The amount of time we spent on medical terminology helped me learn them efficiently,” stated Miguel Tamayo (10th).

The students involved with the health academy are also able to perform simple medical skills such as drawing blood and giving injections. In a separate room of the building there are mannequin arms to draw blood from and artificial skin to practice giving injections. They also learn how to perform CPR, and in their junior year, are able to get certified through the school.

“The labs are super fun and really allow us to be creative and think about the future,” said Riddhi Amin (10th).

The Palm Desert Health Academy prepares students for many aspects of the medical field. The students are sized once they join the academy as sophomores and are provided with a pair of scrubs to wear every Thursday.

“The scrubs make us feel like we’re an actual part of the medical field and show us how we might be dressing later on in our lives,” said Bianca Gonzales (10th).

Health Academy provides students with many opportunities that prepare them for real world experiences. The Aztec Health Academy students are without a doubt going to be the most prepared in their future careers.

For more information on the Palm Desert High School Health Academy or to get involved, contact Ron Paiz at [email protected].