CHC Student Selected for California Medicine Scholars Program at UCR - Crafton Hills College

Publish Date: Feb. 14, 2024

Wendy Chacon Ventura

Wendy Chacon Ventura is about to embark on a once-in-a-lifetime journey! Motivated by her love for her daughters and encouraged by CHC faculty, Chacon Ventura has been accepted into the California Medicine Scholars Program (CMSP) at UC Riverside (UCR).

Chacon Ventura is a first generation Central American and a single mom of three girls. With Spanish as her native language, she learned English through reading and developed a love for it. Over time, her language skills led Chacon Ventura to become very passionate about the healthcare industry, and she began pursuing higher education in this field.

Initially, Chacon Ventura was skeptical of her ability to succeed academically, but she took the chance and started taking classes at SBVC and CHC. aiming at becoming a nurse practitioner and much receiving encouragement from doctors she worked with along the way. Their support helped her move past her self-doubts and pushed her to apply to the CMSP at UCR. She is now one of only 62 community college students to be selected for the program. 

The CMSP is part of the new Inland Empire Regional Hub for Healthcare Opportunity (IE RHHO) and provides a pathway from community college to medical school. Students like Chacon Ventura who are selected to be part of this program will be provided with the following as they work toward becoming physicians:

  • Academic and medical school advising
  • Mentorship opportunities
  • Clinical and research experience
  • Professional development opportunities

Reflecting on her journey thus far, Chacon Ventura remarked that Faculty Biological Science Chair Dr. Sam Truong “was not only an amazing professor but he also was a key factor in me being able to embark on this new and extraordinary journey.” Regarding others interested in this program, she said, “GO FOR IT! This is an amazing opportunity. I was about to pass up the opportunity because I was so scared and I just didn’t think I could do it. I am not saying it will be easy, but I have my three girls that give me the push I need to fulfill my dream.”

When asked what advice she has for other CHC students who are interested in applying for CMSP/IE RHHO, Chacon Ventura recommended that applicants “really spill [their hearts]” on their responses to the personal questions and try to answer one or two questions each day in a way that is true to who they are. She also urged others to think of people such as counselors they have worked with who can write letters of recommendation for them. Finally, Chacon Ventura said, “Dream big! Don’t let anything stop you from chasing your dreams. We all have the ability to go the distance we just need to believe we can and even on the days you think you can’t push through it and the reward will be watching yourself fulfill your goals.”