As the Rio Grande Valley grows, so does the demand for medical services and professionals.

A new South Texas College program is aimed at helping Valley students enter the world of health care without leaving the area.

"I was pregnant at a very young age and went through a tough situation at a very young age," said Leslie Mireles, a medical student at STC. "I realized that the people in the medical field did a lot for a teen that was going through a hard part of their life."

That is the reason why Mireles decided to study medicine. She says she has faced many challenges along the way, but her desire to help the community is even greater.

That, along with the large need for more medical staff, is why STC has started a development program for high school students who want to work in the medical industry.

"We are meeting with the educators who work at the school districts so they understand how to better advise their students to be competitive candidates," said PATHS Program Director Dr. Eliza Alvarado. 

Dr. Alvarado says the options in health careers are infinite.

"They can work in a lab, or they can be a physical therapist, or they can work in a pharmacy," Alvarado said. 

STC offers more than 100 career programs - including 13 nursing and allied health programs - transferable to colleges across the country.

"Some of the hospitals are closing their unit because of short staff," said Dean for Nursing and Allied Health Dr. Jason Valerio. "Now is the right time because based on the research, as far as job projections are concerned, we will be needing healthcare practitioners in our local region by the next decade."

For more information about STC, call 956-872-3100.