31 Mar Interns Gain Hands-On Experience for Career Development at Yellowhawk
The Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center internship program is opening doors for CTUIR members eager to build meaningful careers in healthcare. Designed to help participants earn credentials and certifications while gaining hands-on experience, the program pairs real-world roles that support the clinic’s mission and workforce needs. Internship positions are posted like standard Yellowhawk jobs but are reserved exclusively for CTUIR members who are 18 or older and meet educational requirements. Participants work closely with staff to craft a personalized career development plan and receive the training needed to step confidently into future roles at Yellowhawk. Most internships run around 12 to 18 months, with the flexibility to extend when circumstances call for it.
Alexandra (Alex) Vazquez began her Pharmacy Technician Internship at Yellowhawk in August 2024, stepping into an 18‑month career development pathway with a clear vision for her future. Early on, she created a career development plan outlining both long‑term goals and immediate objectives—each step aimed at achieving her ultimate goal of becoming a Certified Pharmacy Technician. The internship blends hands‑on experience with rigorous coursework and state and national certification requirements, and Alex quickly proved her commitment. With steady guidance from her mentor, Angie Dearing, Pharmacy Director and the support of the pharmacy team, she learned to balance work, study, and training, often making the demanding program look effortless.
Her hard work paid off. In February 2026, Alex earned her national Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) credential through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), passing the 90‑question exam after traveling to Walla Walla, WA to complete her testing. This accomplishment followed months of mastering pharmacy laws, medication safety practices, supply chain processes, billing systems, and a long list of essential pharmacy operations. Along the way, she also earned her Oregon Pharmacy Technician license and completed significant coursework, all while gaining hands‑on experience in a busy clinical environment.
Alex’s achievement is a milestone not only for her own career but for the community. The Yellowhawk Pharmacy Technician Internship program provides Tribal members with structured training, mentorship, and real-world experience that prepare them for state licensure and national certification—opening doors to meaningful and sustainable careers in healthcare. Alex’s journey is a strong example of how the program helps build Tribal workforce capacity while supporting participants in reaching their career goals.
Bryson Redcrane stepped into his Quality and Risk Management Internship in February 2025, bringing enthusiasm for the field and a bit of nervousness about the responsibilities ahead. “When I first joined the Yellowhawk team, I was excited about the opportunity to learn about Quality and Risk Management, but I was also nervous about the workload that would come with it,” he said. “During my first couple of months, learning to complete the tasks I was assigned and understanding the responsibilities of the department helped me improve my time management, collaboration, and communication skills. These are things I would not have been able to accomplish without my mentor, Nancy Kirksey. She is very experienced and knowledgeable in this field and has helped organize the learning and hands-on work into a manageable schedule for both of us. This has allowed me to learn while also remembering why I chose to take this position – to make sure that everyone who comes into the clinic, whether they are a patient, visitor, or employee, has the best experience possible.”
Since beginning his internship, Bryson quickly excelled in his training, earning certification in FEMA’s Incident Command System (ICS) and now working toward his OSHA Safety and Health Fundamentals certificate while learning additional software programs and technical systems essential to the department. He is also expanding his understanding of Yellowhawk’s accreditation standards, including those from the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC), Patient-Centered Primary Care Home (PCPCH), and the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB).
Quality and Risk Manager Nancy Kirksey said, “I have been impressed with Bryson’s consistent professionalism, initiative, and rapid growth in both technical and soft skills such as communication and collaboration. The internship expanded Bryson’s skillset in time management, public speaking, project management, and included many in-house trainings through Yellowhawk’s Training and Development program.” Together, Nancy and Bryson have explored how ongoing education—whether through additional certifications or advanced degrees—can strengthen his future opportunities and career direction. Her commitment to prioritizing the Quality and Risk Internship has helped ensure Bryson has the support, structure, and guidance necessary to grow. As Nancy put it, “success in this internship requires self-motivation, curiosity, and close attention to detail. Bryson arrived with broad foundational knowledge and a strong ability to learn new tasks quickly. He is highly competent in the duties he has mastered and genuinely enjoys learning. I also value his culturally respectful approach to applying CTUIR governance and Tribal considerations when developing policies and risk mitigations.”
To learn more about Yellowhawk’s internship program, contact the Human Resources team or view openings at www.yellowhawk.org/careers.
