Healthcare Consortium Summer Bridge Connects Students to Health Careers

St. Philip’s College Center for Health Professions joins regional partners to provide 300 dual credit and P-TECH students with hands-on healthcare experiences.

This summer, 300 dual credit and P-TECH students from across the San Antonio region explored healthcare careers through the Alamo Colleges District Healthcare Consortium Summer Bridge 2026.

St. Philip’s College Center for Health Professions served as one of three partner sites, joining University Hospital and Methodist Hospital to give students an inside look at healthcare education and career opportunities.

Students represented Fox Tech H-TECH, STEM P-TECH Academy @ LEE, East Central High School P-TECH, Boerne High School P-TECH, Jourdanton High School P-TECH and Alamo Academies programs.

During Summer Bridge, students participated in activities that brought healthcare careers to life. They practiced CPR and “Stop the Bleed” techniques, participated in simulation laboratory activities and explored areas such as emergency care, radiology, pharmacy, pediatrics, surgical services and cardiac care.

Students also connected with nurses, surgical technologists, radiology professionals, hospital administrators and other healthcare professionals to learn about career pathways.

“I didn’t realize truly how many specialties there are,” one Summer Bridge participant shared.

The experience made a strong impression on participants. Among 110 students who completed a post-event survey, 97% rated the experience as excellent or good, and nearly three out of four said their interest in a healthcare career increased as a result. Every respondent agreed or strongly agreed that they would recommend Summer Bridge to another student.

The Healthcare Consortium connects colleges, school districts and healthcare organizations to expand access to meaningful career experiences for students throughout the region.

At St. Philip’s College, Summer Bridge provided students with an opportunity to experience the Center for Health Professions and see how education and hands-on training can lead to in-demand healthcare careers.

St. Philip’s College recognizes Dr. Christopher Metsgar, Julia Azih and Jessica Flores for supporting the Summer Bridge experience, along with partners at University Hospital and Methodist Hospital.

Through programs like Summer Bridge, St. Philip’s College and its community partners are helping students make connections between their education, future careers and the healthcare workforce needs of the region.