Launch Your Health Care Career in San Joaquin County, CA

St. Joseph’s Medical Center

With several award-winning hospitals in San Joaquin County, health care proves to be a promising career choice for residents. And the pathway toward success has never been easier, thanks to the support of educational programs and career resources available to the community. 

From preparatory health care programs for high schoolers to residencies for post-med students, San Joaquin County is uniquely poised to offer guidance throughout every step of the journey. 

Courtesy of San Joaquin Delta College

Opening Doors for Education 

Boasting an impressive list of awards, St. Joseph’s Medical Center is known for providing the community with high-quality health care, including through its dedicated cardiac and maternity care centers. To support budding health professionals, St. Joseph’s – together with St. Joseph’s Foundation – offers yearly scholarships to students currently enrolled in a health care program. The hospital also offers a rigorous residency, with specialties fields including anesthesiology, orthopedic surgery and psychiatry. 

“Through the Health Care Scholarship Program, St. Joseph’s is proud to invest in our employees and the larger San Joaquin community. It allows individuals already pursuing or looking to pursue a career in the health care field to grow and elevate with financial support from St. Joseph’s,” says Anitra Williams, chief nurse executive. “Through recognizing the socioeconomic needs of the community and acknowledging the increasing need for nurses in the area, St. Joseph’s is helping to bridge the gap by investing in those looking to advance in the nursing profession.” 

Entering a health care career doesn’t have to mean years of extensive training. In fact, graduates of San Joaquin Delta College’s emergency medical technician program are qualified to take the National Registry EMT Exam (NREMT), opening the door toward a rewarding career as a paramedic, firefighter, psychiatric technician, radiologic technician and other in-demand health care professions. 

Courtesy of San Joaquin Delta College

Sparking Partnerships 

HealthForce Partners develops and supports programs that provide career pathways for local residents, helps to alleviate workforce shortages and enhances the well-being of communities, says Executive Director Paul Lanning. 

“By investing efforts and resources in building career pathways, we strive to ensure that everyone entering the health care profession has opportunities that enable them to stay local, with education and training opportunities for career advancement along the way to advance to well-paying roles,” Lanning says. 

For job seekers, this means access to education, workforce development, and a supportive and knowledgeable community within the health care sector. Notable resources include a centralized job listings and a dedicated career navigator for San Joaquin County. 

Courtesy of San Joaquin Delta College

“Our career navigator in San Joaquin County, Tabitha Rodgers, works with a number of local community-based organizations and public agencies on outreach events and initiatives to recruit and support students from underrepresented regions and backgrounds to pursue careers in health care through our Health Professions Pathways Program,” Lanning says. 

Career training begins early at Health Careers Academy (HCA) – a high school-level training program operated by Stockton Unified School District – where students gain academic knowledge, technical skills and community awareness qualities to prepare them for the next step in their health care careers. 

In addition, HCA offers real-life career preparation opportunities, including workplace field trips, job shadowing, internships and community service. After completion, students often transition to undergrad programs or right into a paid position where they can immediately put their training to work. 

Going from Classroom to Career 

Post-med students seeking comprehensive clinical experience need look no further than the Internal Medicine Residency Program at San Joaquin General Hospital. Under the guidance of full-time faculty physicians, and with access to state-of-the-art technology in the simulation lab, residents receive a balanced education in the ambulatory and inpatient areas of general internal medicine, in addition to sub-specialties, preparing them to become qualified and caring medical doctors. 

Graduates of the program have proceeded to fellowships in critical care, nephrology and oncology, among other medical specialties, as well as into careers at local hospitals, including as physicians at San Joaquin General Hospital.