Classroom to Clinicals: PCT Students Get Real-World Experience Through TSC TX ACE Initiative

This summer, a dedicated group of students from Hanna Early College High School took their first major steps into the medical field by completing clinical rotations at South Texas Rehabilitation Hospital. The students recently earned their Patient Care Technician (PCT) certifications through the TX ACE Stronger OST Initiative, a program made possible through a strategic partnership between Texas Southmost College and local BISD schools.

Their clinicals, which wrapped up on Friday, June 26, 2025, placed them directly into the kind of working environment they will experience in their future careers. Beyond observational exercises, the students were given a hands-on preview of the demands and responsibilities that come with a career in health care.

According to Rita Mata-Guerrero, Market Chief Nursing Officer at South Texas Rehabilitation Hospital, the experience serves both the students and the hospital’s mission.

“Students rotating through our building learn both technical skills and compassionate care, which contributes to improved patient satisfaction and health outcomes during their clinical rotations,” she said. “Additionally, engaging with students during their clinical rotations allows us to identify talented individuals early on and potentially offer them mentorship and future employment opportunities.”

While the rotations offer the hospital an opportunity to support the next generation of care providers, for students, the impact is immediate and personal. From conducting rounds to working directly with patients under supervision, each day offered the chance to put classroom learning into active practice.

Zodi Fernandes, a participating student and newly certified PCT, said the experience helped bring the fast-paced realities of the medical field into greater focus.

“This is really my first step into the medical field, and this program has helped me learn so much about how quickly things move in the field, so being able to watch nurses and doctors help others gives me a lot of confidence about what I’m learning and how I will be able to use these skills in the future.”

That kind of confidence is one of the key goals of the Stronger OST Initiative, which aims to give high school students both the tools and the exposure to pursue careers directly out of school. At Hanna, that mission is being realized through strong guidance and strategic support.

Blanca Lambarri, Principal of Hanna Early College High School, has seen firsthand how early ambition can flourish with the right opportunities.

“We see 9th graders come into Hanna with dreams and goals, and many of them want to work toward finding a way into the medical field, so it’s such an amazing thing that we have this partnership with TSC that helps us give them opportunities to have these experiences and give them insight as to what it’s really like to work in the field,” she said. “It creates endless opportunities for these students.”

As these students move forward in their academic and professional journeys, the knowledge, mentorship, and experience gained at the South Texas Rehabilitation Hospital will serve as a strong foundation upon which they will continue to build. More importantly, their success highlights how impactful programs like the Stronger OST Initiative and partnerships between institutions like TSC and BISD can be in shaping early career readiness for the next generation of health care professionals.