Jeremy Saavedra to leave 26-year trucking career to follow his dream in helping others
by Amanda Mattox
It’s never too late to chase your dreams – just ask Jeremy Saavedra.
After more than two decades of traveling the roads of Riverside County, San Bernardino County and beyond as a truck driver, Saavedra decided to steer his journey toward the medical field instead.
At age 41, he enrolled in college.
“Going back to a classroom setting was difficult in itself,” said Saavedra, who first studied at Chaffey College before transferring to Cal State San Bernardino as a biology major in fall 2021. “I haven’t been in school for some time, so I was concerned with how I would adapt to school life and how I would relate to other students, most of which are half my age.”
To layer on the challenge, Saavedra is also a first-generation student. “Higher education was not a high priority in my family,” he said, “so making it this far has been awesome.”
Despite the pressures of working full time while meeting the demands of a full-time, first-generation student, Saavedra has persisted, and is on the path to graduate in fall 2023. His goal is to become a physician assistant.
“The combination of my desire to change career fields and wanting to help people led me to the medical field,” he said. “A physician assistant is one of those people that is able to help people who are in need medically. The more I learned about the PA profession, the more I knew that it was the perfect fit for me.”
To further his experience in the medical field and offer a helping hand, Saavedra volunteers with Cope Scholars, an introductory program designed to help individuals engage with hospital personnel and patients. He shadows or assists health care workers with patient care and comfort at a non-medical level.
Saavedra’s passion for helping others extends beyond the medical field as well. He volunteers his time with local organizations, such as City Link Community Outreach in Fontana and the San Bernardino Civic Center Association.
“If I am able to help, then I don’t want to be someone who does nothing,” he confirmed. “I’ve known a lot of people who are hurting or needed some kind of help. I’ve been the person in need of help. We hear stories all the time about people who have a struggle but nobody to turn to. I want to be a person that is available for others to turn to in their time of need.”
Through City Link, he helps with groceries for households in need and assists with events that help the homeless population with things like clothes, haircuts and meals. He also participates in neighborhood cleanups through the San Bernardino Civic Center Association.
And his volunteer service doesn’t stop there. Saavedra is also a notetaker at CSUSB, which requires taking notes for fellow CSUSB students who have disabilities.
Simply put, Saavedra just wants to make a difference.
“I’m just trying to positively impact someone else in hopes that there’s a waterfall effect and it leads to a better community,” he said.
And as a father of three, Saavedra hopes to be a positive role model for his kids, “so that they might push forward through adversity and aspire to be something greater than they thought possible.”
His inspiring story even caught the attention of local news and was featured on ABC7’s All Good News segment.
“I was surprised!” he said when he was told that the news station was interested in interviewing him. “I never thought that my story would garner so much attention from other people. I was honored to have this opportunity and for my story to be shared with more people. Sometimes we don’t realize that we have the ability to impact the lives of others when we lead by example. It’s also confirmation that all of my hard work is paying off. I may not have arrived at my goal yet, but ABC showed me that I am moving in a positive direction.”
Also featured within the segment was Sonia Otte, who is the founding program director of CSUSB’s developing Master of Science in Physician Assistant (MSPA) program. Pending a successful accreditation review, the 27-month MSPA program will launch in August 2025.
“The interview opened doors to information and mentors such as CSUSB’s program director Sonia Otte,” said Saavedra, who plans on enrolling in a master’s program in fall 2024, a year before the university’s MSPA program will begin.
ABC7 interviewed Saavedra on campus in early February for its All Good News segment.
Sonia Otte (left), founding program director of CSUSB's developing MSPA program, and Jeremy Saavedra.
While Saavedra may not join the upcoming CSUSB MSPA program, he still finds the news very exciting.
“The program is a huge development for the university and also the health care field,” he said. “The Inland Empire is an area in need of health care professionals, so the MSPA program will help fill that void and assist in the needs of the community.
“Personally, I had hoped to be in the first-ever MSPA class at CSUSB and that may still be a possibility,” he said, “but regardless, I will always be a Coyote for life!”
Saavedra credits CSUSB for helping him along his academic journey and supporting him during his career change, acknowledging the attentive professors who have been there for him when he needs extra assistance and Academic Advising for helping him stay on track.
“The entire support system in place here at CSUSB is amazing,” he said, noting the overall positive learning environment. “CSUSB is giving me a solid foundation in regard to my education.”
For anyone who hopes to make a career change, Saavedra encourages them to never give up, because the rewards of happiness will be worth it in the end.
“There’s going to be times when you question what you’re doing – stay with it,” he urges. “Take your educational plan one semester at a time. Before you know it, you will be knocking on graduation’s door. Above all else, as cliché as it may sound, follow your dreams! You’re the only person that has to live your life. Make yourself happy.”
CSUSB’s MSPA program to help bring more physician assistants to the Inland Empire
Health Care in the Inland Empire
The United States continues to face a lack of equitable access to health care. By 2030, forecasts predict that California’s shortage of primary care clinicians may be up to 10,000 jobs. However, some regions of California have been hit much harder than others.
The rapidly growing Inland Empire has just 41 primary care physicians per 100,000 patients, which is the lowest in the state and far fewer than the recommended range of 60 to 80 primary care physicians per 100,000 patients.
CSUSB’s Plan to Help
CSUSB is developing a 27-month Master of Science in Physician Assistant (MSPA) program to contribute to resolving regional and state health care shortages. Pending a successful accreditation review, the program plans to matriculate its first class of 40 students in August 2025.
As essential members of the health care delivery team, physician assistants are certified health care providers who diagnose conditions, develop patient-centered treatment plans, prescribe medications and provide preventative care.
The CSUSB MSPA program plans to recruit, educate and graduate talent from the Inland Empire and other medically underserved areas. By increasing the number of qualified health care providers entering the workforce, the CSUSB MSPA program will help meet the current and future health care needs of communities. This increased access to care helps to promote health equity and improve overall patient outcomes.
The CSUSB MSPA program has begun recruiting for faculty and staff positions. The initial positions include a director of didactic education, director of clinical education and a part-time medical director. Additional faculty and staff positions will be available over the next few years as the program continues to develop.
Federal and State Funding
CSUSB’s developing program has secured $2 million in federal funding. The federal funding, which has been designated to help purchase teaching and laboratory equipment for the program, was the work of U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, D-Calif., and U.S. Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-San Bernardino, and was listed in the federal fiscal year 2023 appropriations package, which after being approved by the House and Senate, was signed into law by President Joe Biden on Dec. 29.
California State Sen. Richard Roth, D-Riverside, advocated for CSUSB to receive state funding to launch the MSPA program. Since 2021, Roth has successfully obtained $11.8 million to support the startup, including hiring personnel and creating new facilities.
Accreditation Status
CSUSB has applied for Accreditation-Provisional from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). The university anticipates matriculating its first class in August 2025, pending achieving Accreditation-Provisional status at the March 2025 ARC-PA meeting.
Accreditation-Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrate the program’s ability to meet the ARC-PA Standards or when a program holding Accreditation-Provisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students.
Mission
The CSUSB MSPA mission is to develop multidimensional physician assistants who transform the health of patients and communities using compassion, cultural humility and innovative leadership.
Learn more about CSUSB’s MSPA program and the admissions process at csusb.edu/mspa.