Abraham Alatorre,19, has always been fascinated by the complexity of the human body. Now in his third year as a student of human biology at Stanford University, he still remembers being a 7-year-old in Hanford watching blood drip from his scraped knee and wondering, “What makes your blood stop flowing from your leg?”

Questions like this fueled the curiosity of the farmworker’s son, leading him to pursue a career in medicine after graduating from Hanford High in 2019.

Being a first-generation college student, English-language learner and son of low-income farmworker parents presented Alatorre with challenges on his academic journey. They were similar to the obstacles faced by Jessica Carrillo who, along with Alatorre, got financial support from Community Medical Centers to follow her dream of being a doctor.

Through Senator Melissa Hurtado’s Central Valley Dream Scholarship Program, Community helped fund scholarships for five students of farmworker families seeking healthcare careers in a region with one of the lowest doctor-to-patient ratios in the state. Community is committed to increasing access to care, a top regional health need identified in the 2019 Community Health Needs Assessment.

The support for students is part of the health system’s community benefit investment. Last year, Community Medical Centers provided $175 million in uncompensated care, medical education, outreach and patient support services to create a healthier Valley.

Read more at Community Medical Centers