Bay Area Medical Academy Connects Students, Graduates, and Employers at Inaugural Career Services Job Fair

Bay Area Medical Academy welcomed alumni, students, and healthcare employers to its inaugural Career Services Job Fair, creating meaningful opportunities for networking, career development, and employment connections within the healthcare industry.

The event brought together a diverse group of employers and community organizations, including UCSF, Sutter Health, One Medical, San Francisco Health, Upward Health, Arcadia Home Care, Vitalant, Young Community Developers (YCD), and the YMCA. Representatives from each organization met directly with attendees, sharing insights about their organizations, discussing career pathways, and highlighting current and future employment opportunities.

The day began with a welcome address from Simonida Cevjic, BAMA founder and CEO, who encouraged attendees to make the most of the opportunity to network, learn, and take the next step in their healthcare careers.

One of the event’s highlights was a dynamic career panel discussion featuring both BAMA alumni and healthcare industry professionals. Panelists shared their career journeys, industry perspectives, and practical advice for students preparing to enter the workforce.

The panel included:

• Victor Chub, BAMA Medical Assistant Graduate
• Christopher Jewett, BAMA Phlebotomy Graduate
• Mark Beck, Recruiter/Talent Acquisition II at Sutter Health
• Colleen Sonderman, Regional Lab Services Manager at One Medical

Their stories and guidance provided attendees with valuable firsthand insights into the realities of working in healthcare and the skills employers are seeking in today’s job market.

During the event, Bay Area Medical Academy’s Office of Belonging and Inclusion (OBI) hosted mock interview sessions, giving students and graduates the opportunity to practice their interviewing skills and receive constructive feedback from experienced staff members. These sessions helped participants build confidence, refine their professional presentation, and better prepare for future employment opportunities.

Following the panel discussion, attendees had the opportunity to visit employer tables during an open networking session. Students and graduates connected directly with recruiters, asked questions about available positions, learned about organizational cultures, and expanded their professional networks.

The event concluded with an exciting raffle prize drawing, adding a fun and celebratory finish to a successful day.

The Career Services team received overwhelmingly positive feedback from both attendees and employers. For many participants, especially those attending a career fair for the first time, the event provided an invaluable opportunity to build professional connections, gain career insights, and engage directly with hiring organizations and BAMA alumni who have successfully launched healthcare careers.

As BAMA’s first-ever Career Services Job Fair, the event marks the beginning of what we hope will become a longstanding tradition. The strong turnout, enthusiastic participation, and positive feedback from employers and attendees alike demonstrated the value of creating dedicated spaces where students, graduates, alumni, and industry partners can connect.

At Bay Area Medical Academy, we believe that career readiness is an essential part of healthcare education. This inaugural event is just the first of many opportunities we plan to create for our community. We look forward to hosting future job fairs and career-focused events that continue to support our students’ professional growth, strengthen employer partnerships, and help the next generation of healthcare professionals thrive.

We thank all of our employer partners, panelists, alumni, students, and staff members who helped make this inaugural Career Services Job Fair such a success. We are excited to build on this momentum and continue expanding opportunities for our BAMA community in the years ahead.