Ashlyn Montelongo, a senior at Arvin High School, has earned acceptance into the San Joaquin Valley PRIME+ BS/MD program — a prestigious partnership between UC Merced, UCSF Fresno, and UC San Francisco designed to cultivate the next generation of doctors serving the region.
Montelongo is the first in her family to pursue a medical career. The program grants her direct acceptance to medical school without having to take the MCATs.
"It was something that offers me a lot of mentorship and a big sense of security. I know when I found out I was accepted into the program, I was like, oh my gosh, it feels like, like I know I have a lot to work for the next eight years, but it's a big sense of security that I get through the program with a lot of mentorship," Montelongo said.
Her ultimate goal is to return to the valley and address the region's physician shortage.
"SJV Prime Plus was created to help serve and help fix the amount, the shortage of physicians in the valley. So just coming back and serving my community is the ultimate goal and helping to make a difference in a positive way," Montelongo said.
Arvin High School counselor Gerardo Guzman emphasized just how competitive the program is.
"Only 15 students in the whole Central Valley get accepted. So just knowing that it's an opportunity for our students, it's something that our students are taking advantage of, which is, you know, for us even even more valuable," Guzman said.
Guzman said Montelongo has been working toward this goal since 10th grade.
"She's our top student, she's one of our top students here. She's ranked first in class. So she's just, just a really amazing young lady," Guzman said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Stay in Touch with Us Anytime, Anywhere:
