Healthcare Career Academy (HCA)
The Healthcare Career Academy (HCA) at CHOC is dedicated to helping students explore the many paths within healthcare. We provide hands-on experiences, professional mentorship and career exploration opportunities — with a special focus on supporting underserved and underrepresented communities. HCA helps students build confidence, awareness and the skills needed to succeed in both clinical and non-clinical healthcare careers.
HCA is a key part of CHOC’s long-term strategy to grow and diversify the healthcare workforce. By offering early exposure to real-world healthcare settings, students gain insight into the skills, education and experiences required to thrive in the field, positioning them for future opportunities at CHOC and beyond.
All HCA participants, whether minors, adult students or staff, complete a full onboarding process. This ensures they understand our workplace culture, policies and expectations, and are fully integrated into the teams where they learn and contribute.
For program interest, contact [email protected].
HCA Programs and Partners
Adult Student Programs
- Gillman Project SEARCH – in partnership with Project SEARCH, Regional Center and Goodwill.
- Paid Internship Program (PIP) – in partnership with Regional Center and Goodwill.
- Healthcare Coalition – in partnership with CLAOC.
Minor Student Programs
- Career Exploration Experience (CEE) – in partnership with CLAOC.
- United Way Summer Program – Garden Grove Unified School District.
- High School Inc. – Santa Ana Unified School District, Santa Ana College.
- Cristo Rey
- Samueli Academy