The Student Experience in Health Career Pathways

Key Activities, Resources, and Related Costs

This brief presents findings from the Oakland Health Pathways Project (OHPP), a joint initiative of Oakland Unified School District, Alameda Health System, and Alameda County Health Care Services Agency. The initiative is designed to improve educational and long-term employment outcomes for youth of color in Oakland (Alameda County), California, while expanding and diversifying the local health care workforce. It applies Linked Learning, an approach to college and career preparation that combines classroom learning with real-world work experiences. This research brief draws on qualitative and survey data to describe health pathway students’ experiences with integration of real-world applications and content into the curriculum, opportunities to participate in quality work-based learning experiences, and perceived influence on students’ college and career readiness.

Oakland Unified School District, Alameda Health System Foundation, and SRI International are Atlantic grantees. Atlantic commissioned this report.