Great news for students currently in the Kern High School District who have always dreamed of becoming a doctor yet unsure of the support or where to go. There is now a pathway in place to help prepare for the long journey of becoming a doctor and hopefully having the goal to “Return to Kern.”

This is a milestone for not only Bakersfield College but for Kern County as a community. The first group of fifteen high school applicants will be selected in April 2026.

Dr. Pfluger, President of Bakersfield College, explained how the students would complete two years at Bakersfield College then continue the trajectory of the pathway from Kern County to some of the top Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in Atlanta, GA in order to complete their bachelor’s degree. Then hopefully they would apply and get accepted into Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM), then the students would return to Kern for their internships.

“This is just another layer of opportunity that we’re building onto the existing pathways that we offer. But it’s one that we hope will enable students throughout Kern County to see themselves in a different way, to see the potential within themselves,” Dr. Pfluger stated.

The entire purpose of this new pipeline is to create an easier access point for young students from beginning to end of their long journey of becoming a physician which will lead them right back home with their newly developed skills as a doctor.

“It takes a long time to grow a doctor. It takes a long time to grow a nurse. It takes a long time to grow a physician’s assistant, and you have to start early,” stated Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice, President and CEO of MSM. She continued to say that’s why this pathway was created so they could start working with high school students, not just at community college levels. And preparing them mentally for it as well.

“We don’t just feed the nation we feed the world. Power the world. Our innovation breeds a better tomorrow for everyone, but there’s statistics that aren’t good. And the physician shortages that we’ve experienced for decades aren’t good,” stated Dr. Steven Bloomberg, Chancellor of Kern Community College District.

This pathway is intended to open many doors and opportunities.

“We have a very long history at Bakersfield College, over 110 years of serving this community and building opportunities for students. And so, this is just another layer of opportunity that we’re building onto the existing pathways that we offer,” stated Dr. Pfluger.