Patient Care Assistance Externship

Since 2008, Houston Methodist Hospital in collaboration with Communities in Schools has provided local at-risk high school youth with the opportunity to participate in an 8-week Patient Care Assistant (PCA) Summer Externship Program upon graduation. The program's externship requires a 40-hour per workweek commitment, in addition to attending evening school for Certified Nursing Assistant.

The externs are assigned to Houston Methodist Hospital nursing units where they function in the role of a PCA. During the 8-week program, externs take a certified nursing assistant (CNA) course and sit for the state of Texas CNA certification exam. Upon successful completion of the CNA certification exam, the program participants transition from students to certified nursing assistants, named as PCAs at Houston Methodist Hospital.

For additional information about program requirements and submission of application, please contact Victoria Vazquez at vvazquez@houstonmethodist.org.

The 2025 PCA Summer Externship is no longer accepting applications. Summer 2026 applications will start being accepted in February 2026.