Jovany’s Story: To Become a Surgeon or a Nurse?

From riding on the night shift with EMTs to shadowing emergency medical surgeries, Jovany has had more hospital experience than your average high schooler.

A senior at Manual in Denver, he interned at a local hospital through Career and College Success. In reflecting about the experience, he has learned a tremendous amount about both his ability and desire to practice medicine in the face of adversity.

“It all started my sophomore year when my teacher, Mrs. Wright, asked me what I want to be and I told her that I don’t know. I was thinking of doing business first, but she recommended that I take this class,” he said. “I didn’t want to take it – I’ll be honest, I had decided that if I didn’t like the first class I was going to change my schedule that very day.”

“I’ll be honest, I had decided that if I didn’t like the first class I was going to change my schedule that very day.”

He decided against changing his schedule.

“After the first class I decided that I’ve got to take chances, to try something new, that’s what my mom always tells me,” he said. “It was a new class, and we got to put IVs in a dummy, and we got to practice what you do inside or outside of the hospital to help save someone’s life before 911 comes.

“The class and internships have been mind-blowing and the best experiences I’ve ever had.”

In order to intern at the hospital, Jovany had to get an official employee medical badge, get a flu shot and take the overall preparation very seriously.

“When I heard what we were really going to be doing, I got really excited,” he said.

“When I heard what we were really going to be doing, I got really excited.”

At first, Jovany selected to shadow a dentist. However, after nearly fainting, he quickly learned that wasn’t for him.

“The dentist was drilling in a guy’s molar, but that little squeaky sound ‘eeeeeeee’ was too much.,” he said. “I went back to my program manager and was able to stick it out for another two weeks before switching.”

Next, Jovany explored information technology at the hospital, and they even offered him a job for when he graduates. Even though he is great at technology, Jovany decided that was also not for him.

Then came shadowing emergency medical technicians or EMTs on the job, experiencing firsthand the real challenges of life-and-death situations.

“One moment is kind of sad, but I’m happy that I got to experience it and work through it,” he said. “I was doing a ride-along with the EMT in the night on a Sunday. We went to the house of a patient who was having a cardiac arrest. After coming back to the hospital, he unfortunately did not make it.

“I was doing a ride-along with the EMT in the night on a Sunday. We went to the house of a patient who was having a cardiac arrest …  he unfortunately did not make it.”

“Normally, they (EMTs)  say that it’s really hard for people – that people walk away from it (the job), but I took it really well. I felt that I needed to experience that in order to learn for myself how not to be sad in the future.”

Jovany continued to fall in love with the field of medicine when shadowing the emergency trauma department. He shares tactfully and professionally observing emergency surgeries and what it taught him about himself and his potential.

“There was also a time when a guy shot a cop, and he came in with gun wounds. I saw the doctors open his chest. Everything was happening so fast. I saw his heart, his organs, everything really,” he said. “You know, I thought I would never be into blood – that was very nasty when I was little – but I learned that I really liked the experience, it’s something that interests me and I am up for the challenge.”

“There was also a time when a guy shot a cop, and he came in with gun wounds. I saw the doctors open his chest. Everything was happening so fast.”

While drawn to the ER, Jovany also knows he has the soft skills that would make him an excellent nurse.

“During one of my night shifts with Dr. Bakes, she helps the patient to be comfortable, and ask them about themselves,” he said. “Every time I shadowed a doctor, I make sure the patient is comfortable and they are able to open up and have a conversation with me and the doctor.”

Jovany was the first student from his Career and College Success program to be picked for a visit to the program director in Washington, D.C.

Jovany shares that the director came to him and confided:

“Honestly, it took me a long time for me to become a doctor,” the director told Jovany. “A lot of my cousins wanted me to drop out of school. I started this program because I wanted kids who are you, minorities and all that, to not drop out of school but see the medical route and find out if that’s something you want to do.

“If you ever have a struggle,” he advised Jovany, “tell yourself who you are and what you are made of.”

So, who is Jovany?

“I am a Latino kid coming from a struggling family. I want to make my family proud,” he said. “I’m a hard worker. It’s amazing what my parents did for me to be here.”

“I am a Latino kid coming from a struggling family. I want to make my family proud.”

Long-term, Jovany plans to continue to lean on his mentors in his pursuits of becoming either a nurse or a surgeon.