Students get hands-on experience as working PCAs

PCA-in-Training Program gives students an early start in healthcare careers

By Jessica Zimmerman

Goldy Diaz, a senior at the Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers, worked in MGH Endoscopy this summer as part of Mass General Brigham's new PCA-in-Training Program. (Photos: Jeffrey Andree/MGH Photo Lab)

While many of her peers spent the summer poolside or scrolling TikTok, Goldy Diaz, 17, was restocking endoscopy supplies and learning how to remove IV catheters - and loving every minute of it.

For six weeks this summer, Diaz clocked 30 hours per week in the Endoscopy suite at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), where she worked under the supervision of nurses as an intern patient care assistant (PCA).

The experience was part of Mass General Brigham's PCA-in-Training program, a new pathway within MGB Youth Programs Summer Jobs for Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers (EMK) students who earn their Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) credential in 11th grade. Diaz was among the program's inaugural cohort of 14 students.

As vital members of interprofessional care teams, PCAs perform a variety of tasks that keep inpatient units and procedural areas running smoothly - assisting patients with personal care and comfort, checking vital signs, alerting nursing staff of changes in patient condition, supporting patient mobility, stocking supplies, answering call lights and more.

"Having one-on-one time with patients and seeing everything in person - it's way worth it," said Diaz, an aspiring radiologist and senior at EMK who completed the program in August. "I know most of my friends were out shopping, at the beach or on vacation this summer, but for me nothing beats having more experience and learning. I would not pass up this opportunity for the world. I've loved it so much."

Through hands-on clinical experience, the PCA-in-Training Program helps prepare students for future careers as patient care assistants, nurses and other healthcare professionals. The opportunity is part of Mass General Brigham's expanded Health Careers Training Partnership with EMK, Bunker Hill Community College and the City of Boston, and is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies. The EMK-MGB Health Careers Training Partnership is designed to create accessible, supportive pathways for Boston students to pursue rewarding healthcare careers while helping address critical workforce shortages.

For its initial cohort, the program hosted students solely at MGH. It is expected to expand to more sites across Mass General Brigham when it returns next summer.

"The PCA-in-Training Program marks a significant milestone for the EMK-MGB Health Careers Training Partnership, creating one of the first opportunities for EMK students to move directly from high school coursework into paid clinical roles that serve as a true workforce pipeline, with the potential for continued employment within MGB," said H. Kay Howard, director of Health Careers Training for MGB. "This opportunity is only possible because of EMK's exceptional Career and Technical Education programs, including a remarkable 100% CNA exam pass rate among 52 students in their junior year, and a strong and trusting partnership between EMK and MGB."

Practical training

On a typical day in Endoscopy, Diaz would arrive at 8 a.m. and undertake her first responsibility: ensuring the clinical glucometers on the floor were working accurately, which must be done every 24 hours. From there, she would see if anyone on the unit needed assistance, tidy up medical equipment cables and lead wires, and prepare stretchers with supplies such as bags, gowns and socks.

"Toward the middle of the day, it gets busier," Diaz said. "If I'm in recovery, we check patients' vital signs at least three times before they leave and get them a little snack if they can have it. I'm also there if they need help getting dressed, to make sure they don't fall, help them use the bathroom and escort them to the waiting room after confirming their ride is here."

None of these tasks are busy work, emphasized Erin O'Grady, RN, nurse director of Endoscopy. Students in the program perform the regular responsibilities of PCAs on staff.

"Any PCA is always supervised by a nurse and delegated by a nurse, and we wanted to give Goldy as much autonomy as she would have in this role if she were not a student but a working PCA - because she is. She has passed her exam, and she is a PCA," O'Grady said.

While her coursework and credentialing exam equipped her with the skills to step into this role, Diaz said working in direct patient care has elevated her confidence and advanced her understanding of key concepts in healthcare.

"We practiced taking IV catheters in school, but - oh my goodness, it was way different in person," she said. "I was so scared at first, but I watched the nurses do it a few times, and then they were helping me do it myself. They were so supportive, like, 'You got this. You're good.' That's why I think this program is so important and amazing."

Her enthusiasm and talents quickly won over Endoscopy staff in equal measure.

"They love her. I've gotten so many compliments like, 'We need her all the time.' They want me to take her full time. I'm like, 'Well, she's still in school, so we can't do that,'" O'Grady said with a laugh. "It's been a positive experience for us."

On a more personal level, the program also reaffirmed for Diaz that she is on the right career path. She reflected on caring for a patient who initially seemed agitated and combative.

"They needed to reschedule her procedure a few times because of complications with her blood pressure, which was very frustrating for her," Diaz said. "Later, though, she was so apologetic. She was like, 'I'm so sorry. I've just been going through so much, and I'm so grateful you were patient with me and still took care of me.' That made me break down a little bit - having somebody recognize that we do everything possible to deliver the best care. It made me realize this is what I want to do for the rest of my life."