As of the 2025-2026 school year, DGS now holds a chapter to the national club: High School Alliances of Future Physicians (HSAFP). HSAFP meets twice a month in room C294. The sponsor and science teacher Nadine Kahl and senior president Dana Garcia De La Cruz have been working together to make the club’s inaugural year successful.
Despite the title of the club, students don’t have to be aspiring physicians to be able to join.
“The title can be a bit misleading — anyone who is interested in pursuing a future in medicine is welcome,” Kahl said.
Kahl described what a typical club meeting would look like for members.
“Each meeting will have an introduction about the plan for that day’s meeting. Club members will be given some background information about a certain topic, an associated career focus, and an activity that supports that topic. Sometimes we will break up into smaller groups to complete the activity and other times we may have a medical professional come in to help demonstrate the activity,” Kahl said.
The club allows students to become familiar with various careers before ultimately deciding if the medical field is a good fit for them or not.
“It’s not just students who are interested in the medical field, but also those who are undecided about what career they want to join. They can look into what the medical field is like, and maybe it’s the right fit for them,” Garcia De La Cruz said.
Currently, there is no fee for the club, but as it continues to grow and develop, fees may arise.
“Our goal for the first year is to set a good foundation. Something that the next leaders can build off of and we are hoping that we can build it into something bigger, like another branch to it that adds competitions,” Garcia De La Cruz said.
Kahl touched on her own goals as the sponsor of this club for years to come.
“My hope is for the club to grow and simply help students become more informed about healthcare opportunities…There are also many local medical professionals who want to share their field with our students. Hopefully, by participating in HSAFP, students will not only build connections with all those opportunities but will also build a community with other students who are interested in the field,” Kahl said.
As Garcia De La Cruz describes it, “networking in the medical field is essential,” and this club allows students to get a head start on making those connections.
Whether a student has an interest in medicine or simply exploring, they can join HSAFP for its experience and ability to put it on their resume.
“My favorite part of the club is the fact that it will be very exploratory and have a diverse set of experiences. If you want information about healthcare, this is the place to be,” Kahl said.