For Anjali S., 22, a career in healthcare was second nature. Her mother, and several other family members, work in health care in varying roles. So Anjali’s choice to enter the field as a nurse was an easy one. It was her mother, in fact, who suggested Futuro Health to Anjali as a way to get more hands-on patient care experience. 

Upon exploring Futuro Health’s various programs, Anjali originally thought the medical assisting program would be up her alley, but it was the Community Health Worker (CHW) program that caught her eye.

Anjali, a recent Notre Dame de Namur University graduate who finished Magna Cum Lade in her Biological Science program, had focused her senior project on examining the homeless community in San Mateo County, an issue that markedly worsened during the pandemic. This capstone project took the place of internships typically required, which had been sidelined during the pandemic. Anjali worked with community shelters to gather resources and information to aid local high school students’ homelessness with things like resume help, food bank locales, and more. Anjali describes the enjoyment that she got out of community work and how Futuro Health’s CHW program deepened that passion.

“The CHW program gives me a great foundation to understand community work and how access to healthcare affects certain communities,” said Anjali. “While I was completing my capstone project, I realized just how bad the mental health crisis has become during the pandemic. Communities play a vital role in improving mental health access and outcomes and it’s something I want to continue to explore as I work towards my nursing career.” 

Options like community health workers aren’t always apparent when you’re seeking out a career in healthcare, shared Anjali. It wasn’t until Anjali entered higher education that her scope of healthcare jobs expanded beyond the traditional nurse, doctor, or surgeon roles. This is especially true for people, like Anjali, who are first-generation college students and need to consider the cost of attending advanced schooling to land a job in healthcare. That’s another area where Anjali is grateful for Futuro Health. “It can be difficult to navigate the pathways and financial options available to you, especially if you’re a first-generation college student,” said Anjali. “You worry about what colleges you can afford and what options are available to you, which makes it important for low-cost options like Futuro Health to be accessible to those communities.”