The Health Careers Opportunity Program at Fresno State was a key in helping two Valley students, Rene and Veronica Ramirez, achieve their dreams of becoming a doctor. The program, which is also known by its initials, HCOP, helps undergraduate students from disadvantaged backgrounds for careers in medicine. Both say that without the program, they may never have become successful doctors.

“Both of us came from families where we didn’t have anyone to look to for guidance in pursuing medicine and so HCOP really became that for us,” Veronica Ramirez said. “We literally were in that office day in and day out and it was through that program we learned what it takes to be a good student, a good science student, because that was something very new to us.” Read and hear the full Valley Public Radio story.