California Health Corps gives hope to international medicine degree holders

Salinas, CA (KION) - It's been just a few days since the announcement of the California Health Corps.

Governor Gavin Newsome tweeting today that over 70,000 people have already applied.

This news initiative it could be a big step for international degree holders as it's recruiting health professionals as the state prepares for an increase in Covid-19 cases and people who will urgently need help.

For medical professionals with international degrees, the California Health Corps could be a huge step forward as international medical degrees are generally not accepted in the United States.

"This could be a dream. A dream come true because I practiced medicine for many years in venezuela," says Salinas resident Yan Fernandez.

He feels his experience abroad could be valuable.

"The most important part in healthcare is your willingness to help and I think that there a lot of qualified people that for other reasons they couldn't be able to get a license here in California but they still have the skills and knowledge to provide this services the medical service here in the united states," he says.

Fernandez is hoping his experience - and others in similar positions - will be called on to help.

"They should take the time and attention to this group of persons who are skilled and have the qualifications to be part of this effort to reduce the deaths of this pandemic here in California," says Fernandez.

The California Health Corps is looking for nearly every healthcare role including: Physicians, RN's, Nurse Practitioners, Dentists, Pharmacists, even medical residents and nursing students.

Fernandez feels being bilingual, especially in California, is an added bonus.

"I can offer that help, because as I'm speaking spanish, I can understand and I can offer the help that they eventually could need," he says.

It could also be a cost and time-effective way for Fernandez and other international medical professionals to get back into healthcare.

"So, after 4 years of being here in the United States... that dream could become true," says Fernandez.

Natividad in Salinas has a program called HEAL Initiative Global Health Fellowship and it aims to train health professionals to serve the under-served at home and abroad.

We reached out see how this program would correlate with the California Health Corps, but did not receive a call back by deadline.