Rodríguez-Rivas' time with the Chargers included just that, as he was also able to be involved with two preseason games.
Rodríguez-Rivas said he enjoyed learning from Frank Petrigliano, the Chargers Head Orthopedic Team Physician, and Joshua Goldman, a Chargers team doctor.
Rodríguez-Rivas also spent time with Zucconi and his staff of athletic trainers on a daily basis.
"I was very fortunate to have this opportunity and get an idea for what the culture is," Rodríguez-Rivas said. "To have a successful team, you have to have this integration and everything can't be siloed off.
"The athletic trainers, the medical side, the strength staff … they all have to work in unison," Rodríguez-Rivas added. "From the outside, you really can't appreciate that. Being there, even just for nine days, I was able to appreciate how seamlessly they all communicate. It was really a firsthand look at how they all make things happen."
Zucconi said Rodríguez-Rivas was superb throughout his time with the Chargers.
"Ilich did an excellent job while he was with us," Zucconi said. "From our first Zoom interview, he showed a great demeanor for learning and observation.
"He asked great questions while he was here and was able to witness real encounters between our staff and players," Zucconi added. "We hope that this provides an experience that encourages Ilich and some of his peers to seek out opportunities in sports medicine later in their career."
Rodríguez-Rivas will graduate from UCLA Medical School in June and then plans to pursue a residency program for emergency medicine.
You can bet he'll be following the Chargers along the way, too.
"They're a pretty easy club to root for," Rodríguez-Rivas said.