POMONA, CA — More than 200 high school seniors from 10 San Bernardino County schools participated in Future Health Care Professionals Day, a hands-on career exploration event at Western University of Health Sciences (WesternU) in Pomona. Hosted by San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools (SBCSS), the event welcomed students enrolled in Health Science and Medical Technology Career Technical Education (CTE) pathways for a day of immersive learning, faculty engagement and exposure to postsecondary health care programs across multiple disciplines.
Held on February 4, the event began with a White Coat Ceremony, offering students a meaningful glimpse into what a future in health care could look like.
“Future Health Care Professionals Day helps students envision themselves as health care professionals,” said County Superintendent Ted Alejandre. “Partnering with a university like WesternU allows students to see that a world-class education is available right here in their own backyard.”
The event highlighted CTE as a launchpad to high-demand, high-skill health care careers, showcasing how classroom coursework aligns with real-world workforce needs.
Throughout the day, students participated in hands-on rotations across several WesternU colleges and programs, including the College of Graduate Nursing, College of Optometry, Master of Health Administration, College of Pharmacy, College of Podiatric Medicine, College of Osteopathic Medicine, and Physician Assistant. During each rotation, students engaged directly with health care professionals and current WesternU students, gaining insight into academic pathways and career opportunities.
Participating schools included:
- A.B. Miller High School, Fontana Unified School District
- Barstow High School, Barstow Unified School District
- Chaffey High School, Chaffey Joint Union High School District
- Colony High School, Chaffey Joint Union High School District
- Fontana High School, Fontana Unified School District
- Granite Hills High School, Apple Valley Unified School District
- Indian Springs High School, San Bernardino City Unified School District
- Los Osos High School, Chaffey Joint Union High School District
- Rialto High School, Rialto Unified School District
- Yucaipa High School, Yucaipa-Calimesa Joint Unified School District
Future Health Care Professionals Day reflects an ongoing partnership between SBCSS and WesternU to expand access to health care education, strengthen alignment between K–12 and higher education, and build a sustainable regional health care workforce pipeline for students across the County.
