Press Releases: Southern California
April 22, 2004
Riverside Medical Center plants seeds for future doctors
Hippocrates Circle mentors teens into medical careers
PASADENA, Calif. – Students from Villegas Middle School in Riverside got a feel for "a day in the life of a physician" when they participated in today's Hippocrates Circle activities at Kaiser Permanente's Riverside Medical Center. Hippocrates Circle is the first physician-run mentoring program for middle school students in the Inland Empire.
The students met with their physician mentors, learned how a medical center works, visited the Cardiology, Pulmonary, Radiology and ENT (ear-nose-throat) departments and leaned in close as physicians explained the importance of an echocardiogram, what to look for in an x-ray and how to read an EKG. Students concluded the program with the Hippocrates Circle Oath.
Begun in Riverside by Physician Leaders Sandra Paniagua, MD, and Javier Machuca, MD, the goal of the Circle is to encourage minority students to set academic goals and to inspire the middle school students to believe that they too can have a career in medicine.
The Circle is made possible because of strong support from a partnership that includes Kaiser Permanente's Riverside Medical Center's Medical Director, Richard Rajaratnam, MD, the Southern California Permanente Medical Group (SCPMG), the Alvord School District, Villegas Middle School, the University of California, Riverside (UCR), and UCR's School of Medicine.
The program first took root four years ago in San Diego when physician Ricardo Sistos, MD, and his SCPMG colleagues began mentoring 30 students. Since 2000, 250 students have completed the program in San Diego and there are currently 125 students enrolled.
Today's event was part of a series of activities designed to help students visualize themselves preparing for medical school. The activities began with a physician presentation at Villegas Middle School in March when doctors shared their personal stories about their childhood dreams, the struggles they overcame, and the steps they took to pursue a medical career. The physicians also met with the student's parents to emphasize the importance of their support and to suggest ways to help teenagers face obstacles and succeed along the way.
The next activities, scheduled for May 20, are presentations at UCR on admissions and financial aid, along with a tour of UCR's School of Medicine and anatomy labs.
On May 28, students, parents, physicians, teachers and school officials will gather at the Kaiser Permanente Riverside Medical Center for a graduation ceremony to celebrate completion of the Hippocrates Circle experience, and to also reinforce the message to the students who are about to enter high school that they have many people who believe in them and that their educational journey is an important achievement for them and for their families.
In addition to Dr. Paniagua and Dr. Machuca, Medical Director Richard Rajaratnam, MD, also credited Gregorio Tan, MD, and the many physician-mentors, along with Medical Group Administrator Kokliam Lim, MD; Director of Hospital Operations Vita Willett, MD; and Assistant Medical Group Administrator Bob Blair, MD for embracing the Hippocrates Circle concept and making it possible to foster the dreams of young students as they launch their higher education. Other administrative leaders who have played key roles in developing the program and activities are: Ozzie Martinez, MPH, Senior Analyst, Dina Esquivel, Sales and Marketing, Maria Urena, Case Manager and members of the Latino Taskforce at the Riverside Medical Center.
Rajaratnam also expressed appreciation for the enthusiastic support of Villegas Middle School Principal Wendell Tucker, PhD, and Alvord School District Area Superintendent Kathy Wright, and acknowledged the generous contributions of time, resources and energy given to the Circle by the University of California, Riverside, the UCR School of Medicine and in particular, Javier Hernandez, director of immediate outreach; Betty Benzor, director of school relations and early academic outreach; and Alfredo Figueroa, director of Chicano student programs.
About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is America's leading integrated health plan. Founded in 1945, it is a nonprofit, group practice prepayment program with Southern California headquarters in Pasadena, California. Kaiser Permanente serves the health care needs of 3.3 million members in Southern California. Today it encompasses the nonprofit Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc., Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and their subsidiaries, and the for-profit Southern California Permanente Medical Group. Kaiser Permanente's Southern California Region includes more than 49,900 technical, administrative and clerical employees and caregivers, and more than 6,000 physicians representing all specialties. More information about Kaiser Permanente can be found at kaiserpermanente.org.
