Guest: Dr. Leticia Archuleta, Ed.D LCSW LISW LSSW

Executive Director at Health Leadership High School

What if students could get paid to explore healthcare careers before graduating high school?

At Health Leadership High School in Albuquerque, hands-on learning, paid internships, and certifications help students turn “I’m not sure I can do this” into real possibilities.

In this episode of Voices of Vital Care, host Nohelani Graf talks with Dr. Leticia Archuleta, Executive Director of Health Leadership High School, about connecting high school students to healthcare training, further education, and their communities.

She shares stories of students gaining confidence through certified nursing assistant (CNA) training, patient interactions, and opportunities to use their bilingual skills.

In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, the conversation explores how representation, language, cultural understanding, and family support help Hispanic students see themselves as future healthcare professionals.

You’ll hear about:

• Paid internships and healthcare career exploration in high school

• CNA certifications, dual credit, and learning through real-world experience

• Bilingual communication and Hispanic representation in healthcare

• Financial barriers and helping families understand education options

• The growing partnership with Pima Medical Institute

• Supporting students’ emotional well-being as they explore patient care.

For students, parents, educators, and healthcare employers, this episode explores what it takes to build a clearer path from high school to healthcare, while giving young people room to discover what fits.

Subscribe to Voices of Vital Care for more conversations about allied health careers, healthcare education, and the people shaping the future of care.

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, stance, or position of Pima Medical Institute.

#HealthcareCareers #HighSchoolToHealthcare #HispanicHeritageMonth #AlliedHealth #HealthcareEducation #PaidInternships #BilingualHealthcare #VoicesOfVitalCare

Guest: Jessuri 'Suri' Alvarez Jaquez

Dental Assistant

Pima Medical Institute Graduate

For Spanish-speaking patients, a bilingual dental assistant can transform fear and confusion into trust, comfort and better communication.

Recent dental assisting graduate Jessuri “Suri” Alvarez Jaquez shares how speaking Spanish helps her connect with children and parents, explain dental care more clearly and create a safer experience for families navigating language barriers.

Suri reflects on growing up in a Spanish-speaking household, learning to recognize bilingualism as a professional strength and seeing her own mother in the patients she serves. She also discusses pediatric dental care, supporting patients with special needs, reducing dental anxiety and building trust that brings families back.

Now preparing for the next step in her career through dental hygiene, Suri shows how language, culture and compassion can become powerful skills in healthcare.Voices of Vital Care explores the people, pathways and perspectives shaping the future of healthcare.

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, stance, or position of Pima Medical Institute.

#BilingualHealthcare #DentalAssistant #DentalCare #SpanishSpeakingHealthcare #PatientCommunication #PatientTrust #HealthcareCareers #DentalCareers #PediatricDentistry #DentalHygiene #HispanicHeritageMonth #VoicesOfVitalCare

Guest: Yuriana Atayde

Campus Director, Albuquerque

Pima Medical Institute

What if the biggest barrier to a healthcare career is believing there’s a place for you?

For Hispanic Heritage Month, Voices of Vital Care explores how family, culture, representation and mentorship shape the path into healthcare.

Host Nohelani Graf welcomes Yuriana, a campus director at Pima Medical Institute in Albuquerque and a first-generation college graduate, for a candid conversation about discovering opportunities and finding the confidence to pursue them.

From family expectations and imposter syndrome to changing careers as an adult, Yuriana shares the questions students bring through her door and the support that helps them move forward.

She also explores allied health careers beyond doctors and nurses, including dental assisting, respiratory therapy and physical therapist assistant roles.

Along the way, we discuss:

• How a healthcare career can create opportunities for an entire family

• Why early career exploration matters for children and teens

• How Hispanic representation and cultural understanding can build connection in patient care

• The role of mentors in helping students see their potential

• Yuriana’s own journey from office assistant to campus leadership

Whether you’re a prospective healthcare student, a parent, a career changer or an educator, this conversation offers a personal look at what happens when opportunity starts to feel possible.

Subscribe to Voices of Vital Care for the people, pathways and perspectives shaping the future of healthcare.

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, stance, or position of Pima Medical Institute.

#HealthcareCareers #HispanicHeritageMonth #AlliedHealth #VoicesOfVitalCare #PimaMedicalInstitute