FUTURE FACES OF HEALTHCARE
Hands-on healthcare experience for Sonoma County high schoolers
Thinking about medicine, nursing, or another job in a clinic or hospital? Future Faces of Healthcare puts you in the room. You’ll learn clinical skills from practicing physicians, shadow real patient visits, and get a mentor who’s been where you’re going.
We started with Future Faces of Family Medicine, a program local family medicine doctors have run since 2011. Now it’s part of Path to Purpose, and it’s growing to include more healthcare careers.
Your Opportunities
Future Faces of Family Medicine
A selective spring semester with the Sutter Santa Rosa and Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa Family Medicine Residencies. Skills workshops, clinical shadowing, physician mentorship, and community service. For students who want to explore becoming a doctor.
Allied Care (Coming Soon)
Medical assistants, CNAs, and allied health professionals make a clinic run. This track pairs you with mentors across North Bay hospitals and health centers so you can see those jobs, and the training routes into them, firsthand. Launch date to be announced.
What You’ll Do
Medical Skills Workshops
5 to 6 hands-on sessions on Wednesdays, 3:30 to 5:30 PM. Practice exam skills, suturing, and obstetric simulation, and talk about mental health care.
Clinical Shadowing
[3 to 5] evening shadowing shifts at Santa Rosa Community Health’s Vista Campus (Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 6 to 9 PM) and Kaiser Permanente’s Bicentennial Campus [day/time TBD].
Mentorship
You’ll be matched with 1 to 2 physician mentors who help you think through classes, college, and what comes next.
Community Service
Help run the Cesar Chavez Health Fair at Roseland Leadership Elementary [2027 date TBD], plus a service project you choose.
College Credit
Earn college credit from Santa Rosa Junior College through a work experience course, same as every Path to Purpose intern.
Who It’s For
We look for students who are curious about healthcare and care about their community. You don’t need experience, top grades, or a doctor in the family. Plenty of our alumni were the first in their family headed to college.
We especially want to hear from students who grew up in the communities local clinics serve, speak a language other than English, or want to bring care back home.
Dates & Deadlines
APPLICATION OPEN
Aug. 12 - Sep. 23, 2026
INTERVIEWS BEGIN
Sep. 30, 2026
PLACEMENTS ANNOUNCED
Nov. 13, 2026
INTERNSHIPS BEGIN
Feb. 2027
INTERNSHIPS END
May 2027
The Impact
Since 2011
Running in Sonoma County
14
Cohorts of alumni
60%
of Alumni Pursuing Pre-Med
76%
Say the program was central to their career decision
Where You’ll Train
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sonoma County high school juniors and seniors, at least 16 by February 1, 2027.
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Through the regular Path to Purpose application. Select healthcare as your top interest and you’ll get a note about Future Faces.
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No. Family Medicine is physician-focused, and the Allied Care track is built for students interested in nursing, medical assisting, and other clinic roles.
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About 50 hours across the spring semester: workshops after school, a few evening shadowing shifts, and mentor check-ins.
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Not yet. We are working to identify funding sources to provide a stipend for interns.
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Tell us on your application.
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Yes, through SRJC’s work experience course.
Mentor a Future Colleague
Physicians, nurses, MAs, and allied health staff: a few hours a semester can change where a student lands. Host shadowing, teach a workshop, or mentor 1 student.
Built with Our Partners
Future Faces of Healthcare is part of the North Bay Health Pathways Alliance, a group of hospitals, colleges, and school districts building healthcare career routes together across Sonoma County.
