Young Minds in Medicine

Boosted by her experience in Middlesex College’s Pathways to Health Career Scholars program, Cindy Gonzalez sees hospitals not as a place to fear, but a place of opportunity.

“I’ve always thought hospitals only have doctors, nurses, and surgeons, but there are a lot of different careers I can choose from,” Gonzalez said. “I wanted to learn and be exposed to those people around me.”

The 18-year-old Gonzalez is a senior at Piscataway Magnet School and over the summer she took part in Middlesex College’s Health Career Scholars Program where 25 students gained hands-on experience in an eight-week program at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital New Brunswick. The program is open through the college’s partnership with the Youth Advocate Program (YAP) for New Brunswick high school-aged students.

“This initiative is an investment in the future of our community in the heart of New Brunswick,” said Angelo Abreu, director of Middlesex College’s Perth Amboy Center. “By equipping these young individuals with the necessary skills and experience, we are paving the way for their success in the health sector.”

During the summer, Gonzalez completed rotations in the patient transport wing and shadowed transporters to learn what their daily responsibilities were. She also received CPR certification through YAP and has applied to work as a patient transporter at Robert Wood Johnson.

Because of her involvement in the Health Career Scholars program, she was able to enroll in a three-credit class at Middlesex College on public speaking free of charge. That’s given her a taste of the college environment.

“Public speaking turned out to be a great class as a first-time college student,” Gonzalez said. “I’ve been encouraged to speak in front of the class whenever we have to do a speech. Everyone in the class shows mutual respect when someone is presenting and engaging in the conversation.”

Gonzalez, a New Brunswick native, is also busy with her course work at Piscataway Magnet School, and preparing her financial aid forms for college. She wants to apply at Middlesex College, and study physiology with the goal of earning a degree in forensic physiology.

“I have been passionate about this because I want to explore and learn about the criminal mindset. I want to know what leads the human mind to these outrageous things, with this degree I want to be able to help those people, and go up in a courtroom in front of a judge and make my statements,” said Gonzalez. “I want to be a helpful resource to our community. I know it takes a lot of courage to study this, and, a lot of effort, but I’m willing to work for this.”