>> NEW MEXICO'S HEALTHCARE LANDSCAPE IS A COMPLICATED
ONE.
WHILE A SMALL STATE POPULATION WISE WE ARE SPREAD OUT OVER A
LARGE AREA.
AND WE STRUGGLE WITH HAVING ENOUGH PROVIDERS, ESPECIALLY
IN RURAL COMMUNITIES.
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE OVERALL HEALTH OF OUR STATE TO
GROW OUR OWN DOCTORS AND OTHER MEDICAL PERSONNEL.
A HEALTH APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM AT THE CASA DE SALUD
IN ALBUQUERQUE'S SOUTH VALLEY GIVES TEENS AND YOUNG PEOPLE A
CHANCE TO GAIN VALUABLE EXPERIENCE IN THE HEALTHCARE
INDUSTRY.
THE PROGRAM ALSO OFFSETS SOME OF THE COSTS OF THE CLINIC
WHICH PROVIDES AN INTEGRATED APPROACH TO MEDICINE, THAT IS
AFFORDABLE FOR MOSTLY IMMIGRANT CLIENTELE.
>> THIS WEEK'S SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT, SARAH GUSTAVUS,
LEARNS MORE HOW THE PROGRAM IS RESHAPING HEALTHCARE IN THE
STATE BUT UP FIRST WE MEET SOME OF THE APPRENTICES
THEMSELVES.
>> ANYONE IN THE MEDICAL FIELD, HELPING, WHATEVER THEY
HAVE IN THEIR DREAMS, DOCTORS, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS.
>> IT IS NOT A TYPICAL CLINIC.
WE SEE YOU AS A WHOLE PERSON AND NOT JUST A SYMPTOM.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PATIENT INTERACTION, FROM THE MOMENT
THEY WALK IN FROM THE MOMENT THEY LEAVE.
>> IF THEY NEED JUST BASIC MEDICAL OR IF IT IS MORE
COMPLICATED, HERE AT CASA WE HAVE OTHER MODALITIES NOT ONLY
WESTERN DOCTOR, WE HAVE ACUPUNCTURE, WE HAVE
(INAUDIBLE), IF IS THE PHYSICAL ASPECT OF THE DISEASE
THEMSELVES BUT AS WELL AS EMOTIONAL, MENTAL, SPIRITUALLY
FOR SOMEBODY THAT SOMETIMES IN THAT BIG HOSPITAL OR BIG
ENTITY WE DON'T SEE THAT.
>> APPRENTICESHIP IS TYPICALLY A YEAR.
AND THEN ONCE YOU BECOME A SENIOR APPRENTICE, THEN IT IS
ANOTHER YEAR.
I BECAME A SENIOR APPRENTICE JUST RECENTLY IN AUGUST AND SO
NOW I AM GOING TO BE IN MY SECOND YEAR HERE.
>> WE HAVE SEVERAL APPRENTICES RIGHT NOW FROM 18 OF THEM,
THEY ARE ALL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, ALL THE WAY TO
COLLEGE, GOING TO MEDICAL FIELD.
WE HAVE APPRENTICES GOING FOR NURSING, FOR PHYSICIAN
ASSISTANTS OR NURSE PRACTITIONERS, DOCTORS.
ONE IS INTERESTED IN PHARMACY, SO, I AM HELPING WITH THE
CLINICAL SKILLS, AS WELL AS HELPING PATIENTS THROUGHOUT
THEIR VISITS ON THE CLINIC.
>> I AM GETTING SO MUCH EXPERIENCE, SO MUCH HANDS ON,
THAT I WOULDN'T BE GETTING ANYWHERE ELSE.
>> I LEARN HOW TO DRAW BLOOD HERE.
I HAVE TO KIND OF GET A GLUCOSE, URINALYSIS AND HELP
WITH THE PROCEDURES AND ALSO PERFORM, FOR EXAMPLE, THE
ELECTROCARDIOGRAM.
>> THERE IS A LOT OF DOORS THAT WEREN'T OPENED FOR ME
SPECIFICALLY AND HERE I DON'T HAVE ANY OF THOSE
REQUIREMENTS.
THEY DON'T LOOK AT ANY OF THAT.
I AM HERE FOR SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO LEARN AND WANTS TO
HAVE HANDS ON EXPERIENCES.
SO, HAVING AN APPRENTICESHIP LIKE THIS, GIVES THEM EXPOSURE
TO THAT, SOMETHING THEY COULD HAVE NEVER HAD BEFORE.
>> OKAY.
>> THEY ARE IMMIGRANTS, SPANISH SPEAKERS WITH NO
INSURANCE.
WE ALSO HELP WITH THE EXCHANGE PROGRAM THROUGH DEPARTMENT OF
MENTAL HEALTH SO HELP A POPULATION THAT MIGHT HAVE
ADDICTION WITH INTRAVENOUS DRUG USE AND WE HELP THEM TO
AVOID TRANSMISSION OF THEIR FOR EXAMPLE, HIV, HEPATITIS C
AND ALSO TO AVOID INFECTIONS.
WE DON'T DECLINE SERVICE TO ANYBODY.
>> THERE IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE JOBS FOR NURSES, THERE IS
ALWAYS GOING TO BE JOBS FOR DOCTORS ESPECIALLY IN NEW
MEXICO SINCE NEW MEXICO IS SUPER SCARCE ON DOCTORS.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE STUDY HERE IN NEW MEXICO AND THEN THEY
LEAVE NEW MEXICO.
>> I WANT TO BE ABLE TO STUDY HERE AND STAY HERE AND SERVE
THE COMMUNITY THAT I GREW UP IN.
>> I DON'T THINK I WOULD BE WHERE I AM IF IT WASN'T FOR
CASA.
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