Turner-UCLA Allied Health Internship celebrates 10 years of inspiring future healthcare professionals
Housed within the Department of Medicine, program showcases DGSOM’s commitment to teaching, learning and community
Pictured: A high school rising senior touring the clinical laboratory at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center during the internship week (Photo courtesy of Turner-UCLA Allied Health Internship)
“Transformative.” “Motivating.” “Inspiring.” “Hope.” “Family.”
These were some of the words used to describe Turner-UCLA Allied Health internship program by program alumni, staff and volunteers.
Every summer, dozens of high school students spend a week at UCLA. In the evening, they are often working on team-building projects, enjoying Westwood Village, touring the UCLA campus or networking with medical professionals whose backgrounds are similar to theirs.
During the day, they have a robust schedule of workshops, career presentations and rotations. Over the course of the week, they rotate through over 20 different UCLA Health departments, learn about 40 different careers and meet close to 100 working medical professionals at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.
A decade of impact, community and connection
Now in its 10th year, the program has been supported by philanthropists Lauren and Robert “Bobby” Turner, the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and UCLA Health since its inception, and is one of the medical school’s community engagement initiatives within the Department of Medicine (DoM).
“Community engagement is not simply a strategic priority. It is a responsibility, a partnership and often a deeply personal commitment to ensuring every patient and member of our community can thrive,” said DoM Chair E. Dale Abel, MD, PhD.
Spearheaded by Carol M. Mangione, MD, in close collaboration with the Turners, the internship program is led by a team of dedicated staff, including Gloria Moon, Florence Bansag and David Rincon.
To date, the program partners with over 90 high schools and organizations in Los Angeles County to recruit potential applicants. For the 2026 cohort, the internship program received over 450 applications.
“Community engagement really crosses all of our pillars – education, research, and clinical care, in addition to being a pillar itself. This is particularly true when we think about health care workforce development programs because all four pillars benefit greatly from these,” said Dr. Mangione.
One of the program’s goals is to offer a comprehensive, immersive introduction to the many allied healthcare careers available. At the same time, the program hopes to help address the critical allied healthcare workforce shortages in California while providing additional pathways into these professions.
In a post-internship survey, a Turner-UCLA Allied Health intern shared, “I had never seen myself in any other position but a doctor, so getting to explore different branches definitely made the idea that I have options very attainable and realistic.”
One week, endless possibilities
Throughout the week-long program, Turner-UCLA Allied Health interns meet current healthcare professionals, faculty and medical school students. At the same time, they are introduced to an array of healthcare careers while also learning new skills, such as CPR and Stop the Bleed.
With up to nine activities a day, departments and career paths represented include but are not limited to radiology, rehabilitative services, pathology and laboratory medicine, emergency medical services, phlebotomy and administrative careers, among many other critical roles.
In addition, the students attend numerous workshops, from a meet-and-greet with UCLA People-Animal Connection to a suturing workshop led by medical students at the David Geffen School of Medicine.
Now a fourth-year medical student, Michelle Ryder, who has a background in teaching, led the suturing workshop over the past three years. She has since recruited other medical students, including second-year medical student Antara Palkar, to volunteer with the program.
Together, Ryder and Palkar recruit and train other volunteers from the medical school. Palkar said volunteering has also allowed her to learn new skills and hear the unique stories of her peers.
“There’s just so many different [healthcare career] paths, and people have their own stories. With high schoolers specifically, I think it can be reassuring to talk about that,” said Ryder.
“It’s nice to always hear different people’s stories and figure out how that may or may not speak to you,” added Palkar.
Both Ryder and Palkar often remind the program interns their professional and academic journeys have not been linear. Palkar, for example, took time off to work and conduct research before applying to medical school, while Ryder worked as a high school math teacher.
However, this is not Ryder’s first encounter with the internship program. She first met Gloria Moon and David Rincon when she was teaching at a local high school in West Adams, one that Moon and Rincon often recruit program applicants from.
Supporting the next generation of healthcare professionals
This year, the 2026 class included four one week-long sessions, and the four student cohorts were led by internship program staff and alumni volunteers, including Miracle Umejesi.
Encouraged to apply to the Turner-UCLA Allied Health Internship Program by her sister, Umejesi was part of the 2018 cohort. She also served as a program mentor in 2023-2024, but this time, she had bachelor’s degree in the science of nursing (BSN) on her name tag.
A recent graduate of Charles Drew University’s BSN / RN program, Umejesi is preparing to take her state nursing boards and remembers a pivotal moment with Gloria Moon when she was an intern in 2018.
“She got me this folder where I could put all my achievements, be it like poetry that I wrote or some type of degree that I got. She told me that whatever achievements I’ve ever had or will ever get, she wants me to put it in this folder,” said Umejesi. “Every single achievement or anything that really stands out to me, I put in there.”
So far, her folder includes her awards from Charles Drew, her letter of recommendation to the Turner-UCLA Allied Health Internship Program, the program’s pamphlet and the resume she created for the program.
Looking back on her application interviews with Gloria Moon and David Rincon , whom she calls “Auntie” and “Uncle,” Umejesi says, “That’s where my story actually starts. I think that’s where my future started.”
“I think that’s one of the things that sets our program apart from others is the longitudinal connection that we try to have with our students. We really want to see them reach their end goal and stay connected and have them be the ones that run the program in the future,” said Rincon.
Celebrating achievements and new beginnings at commencement
Last month, 74 students completed the internship program. The program’s commencement brought all four internship cohorts together, as well as the students’ families, friends and mentors, including program staff, alumni, medical school faculty and members of the Turner family.
Alejandra Casillas, MD, MSHS, was the event’s keynote speaker and shared three takeaway messages in her commencement speech.
“Your story is your greatest asset. Find mentors who can help you find your voice and make intentional choices. When you have a career in healthcare, it’s important to have empathy and gratitude, to not only help you best serve your patients but also help you get through a very gratifying but very challenging career,” she recounted.
A first-gen student herself and a proud first-gen physician, Dr. Casillas connects to the program’s interns. Nearly 90% of the program’s interns are also first-generation students.
Dr. Casillas first learned of the program from Dr. Mangione, who is one of her mentors. A few years ago, Dr. Mangione invited Dr. Casillas to commencement to learn about the program, and the rest is history.
“Dr. Mangione says that it’s the best day of her year. I can see why. It was one of the best days of my year too, just to be able to be in the presence of all those families and see those students,” said Dr. Casillas.
More than internship: where opportunity meets purpose and community
However, the Turner-UCLA Allied Health Internship program does not end with commencement.
Throughout the year, alumni of the program are invited to year-round workshops that support professional development including networking and career readiness. Jesus Zarate Sanchez was part of the 2019 cohort and remembers attending several workshops after graduating from the program, including one geared towards creating and tailoring resumes.
“I actually still have my resume set up that way,” said Zarate Sanchez.
Zarate Sanchez first learned about the program as a high school junior from his guidance counselor. He knew he was interested in healthcare but was not sure where to start.
“The internship gave me a better understanding of what was possible for my future,” recalled Zarate Sanchez.
Today, he is a leave of absence specialist with UCLA Health Human Resources and is grateful for Gloria Moon, David Rincon and all of the connections he has made through the program.
“My biggest advice would be to take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way. Ask questions. Be curious, and don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone. You may discover a career or an area of healthcare that you never knew existed,” said Zarate Sanchez.
Scholarship opportunities funded by the Turners are available for program alumni interested in furthering their careers in allied health professions. Staff support students pursuing external scholarships and other aid to support their training goals. Practice interviews and career advisement are some of the many post-internship resources the students may access as alumni of the program.
Program graduates and alumni are also invited to return as mentors, program leaders or guest speakers. To date, the program has over 400 alumni, and in just the last four years, the program has received over 8,000 hours of alumni volunteer time and support.
“Over the years, we have discovered the program is much more than direct career exposure, and the community that has been established through operating the program is a true testament to this,” said Moon.
To learn more about the Turner-UCLA Allied Health Internship Program or volunteer opportunities for UCLA Health and the UCLA medical school community, please email Program Director Gloria Moon.
