How a new biomedical science facility is empowering the Lynwood community 

In an era defined by relentless innovation and rapid technological advancement, the world is being transformed by the remarkable power of STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. 

Marco Antonio Firebaugh High School in Lynwood recently opened up a new biomedical science facility that provides students with modernized tools like phlebotomy equipment and allows them to explore topics within the school’s four-year biomedical science and nursing Career Technical Education pathway. The new lab is also shared with the community adult school, allowing people to use the space for courses in the evening, thereby keeping in line with its community-focused mission.

Medical assisting and medical terminology were brought into the school 12 years ago, according to biomedical teacher Melissa Bejerano. “Project Lead The Way,” which started in 2014 at the high school, allows for the curriculum to combine biology and biomedical sciences. This gives students the ability to learn about cellular aspects all the way to medical diagnosis.

“Giving them that real-world, life-like experience has always been the goal. We are finally able to give them that environment where they feel like they are in an actual clinic in a spacious classroom where they are able to do extensive lab work,” Bejerano said.

There are a total of four courses that students take throughout their four years of high school to complete the biomedical pathway. One of them is a capstone project that is taken during their senior year. The students get to solve real-world issues by creating innovative solutions. 

“It’s an environment where us students can grow and learn, so I hope that in the future it can grow to a place where we can prepare to get certified for different medical professions,” said Crystal Vo, a junior at Firebaugh High School. “This is absolutely a place where we can thrive and have that hands-on experience to have those resources to become certified.” 

What STEM means for the Lynwood community

Humanity stands on the precipice of a new age, a STEM-driven world where the boundaries of what is possible are constantly pushed to new frontiers. STEM disciplines have become the engines of progress, shaping the way humans live, work and interact with their environment. 

But one overlooked quality is how STEM can impact communities. 

Before, Dahlia Duarte, another junior at the school, envisioned entering the medical field but grappled with the barriers of limited resources and a lack of guidance. 

“When we stop and look at the opportunities that were given to us that weren’t given before, it definitely inspires us and makes us want to pursue our goals and our aspirations,” she said. “Before, I felt like I didn’t have that support. ‘Oh yeah, I want to become a doctor, but I don’t have the resources and I don’t know how to get there.’ With a program like this, it has inspired me to pursue what I want to do and how I can get there.

“Just spreading the awareness of the medicine field and offering those opportunities and resources to students who want to go into this field … It’s a field that takes a lot of determination … In our community, we see that there’s a lack of resources … before getting into the biomedical program I didn’t have that guidance to guide me into my own interests,” said Vo. “This program opens, not only to me, but to others what they want to aspire to do in the future.”

In many communities like Lynwood, the path to this field is often obscured by a lack of essential resources and guidance. 

“A lot of us grow up in Latino families, ‘Oh, you’re going to be a doctor, you’re going to be a nurse.’ But we don’t know there are so many different fields to the medical professions,” Bejerano said. 

PLTW, she explained, exposes different medical fields to students, teaching them about such topics as anesthesiology, physical therapy and forensic science. In her classroom, students are encouraged to keep career journals in which they document information about different careers in the medical field.

Bejerano was drawn to teaching because she wanted to implement the character of compassion into future medical professionals. She started as a nurse herself and noticed the lack of compassion at hospitals. 

“Yes, money is necessary to thrive and to live, but we also have to have that compassion aspect, being able to put ourselves in another person’s shoes,” she said.

Duarte and Vo have similar paths for their futures. Duarte wants to pursue pediatrics and has an open mind about where she would like to go for her undergraduate degree. Vo plans to attend UC Irvine and major in nursing to get her nurse practitioner's license in pediatrics. 

Firebaugh High School had a ribbon-cutting event on Oct. 12 to celebrate this addition to their district, and their community. 

“We’ve been wanting this to be our goal, and we’re finally here and we are able to give the students what they deserve,” Bejerano said.