Pathfinders Program
About the Pathfinders Program
The Memorial Hospital annually offers a job shadowing program for high school seniors that qualify. There will be a limited number of students accepted into the program. The Healthcare Pathfinders Program is designed to give students a look into many healthcare careers so they are prepared when looking into their career path options. MH has designed a program for students who would like to sample the medical or business side of healthcare, better preparing them for career and college avenues to pursue.
Students will meet Physicians, Medical Technologists, Department Managers and Administrative Personnel each of whom have completed a higher level of education and acquired specific certifications within their field. This program is set up as a job shadowing program and allows each student to spend time in six different departments observing the professionals. This gives them the opportunity to ask questions, see what tasks each professional performs and learn what it takes to reach the various career levels in that path.
Upon completing the observation time and reflection paper, Memorial Hospital Auxiliary will award one $500 scholarship to a Pathfinder for future college use.
Pathfinders Program Options:
Medical Pathfinders
• Diagnostic Imaging
• Cardio-Pulmonary
• Laboratory
• Nursing
• Provider Practice (Physician, Nurse Practitioner, Physician Assistant)
Business Pathfinders
• Business Office (Accounting, Billing, etc.)
• Human Resources
• Marketing-Community Relations
• Health Information Management
• Information Technology
Student Participation
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Choose a path.
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Apply for chosen path. 2019-2020 Application Deadline is November 29, 2019.
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There will be a limited number of students accepted. Applicants will be notified of acceptance no later than December 7, 2018.
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Students will need to complete 6 hours total for the program.
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Students will spend an hour in each department within the chosen path (5 total).
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Students will choose their favorite department for the last hour of their path program.
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At the end of the students' program, the student will write a 1-3 paragraph reflection of their time, interactions, new knowledge and inspirations toward a career or college path. This reflection may be used as a quote for our future programs.
Student Qualifications
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Student application form (2018-2019 Form Coming Soon)
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Must be a senior in high school
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Parent/Guardian permission and release (included in application)
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GPA at least 3.0
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Confidentiality Statement form (included in application).
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Compliance & Code of Conduct form (included in application).
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Program guide signature page (included in application).
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Social Media Release form (included in application)
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Letter of recommendation from a counselor, teacher, coach, principal, etc.
Contact Information
Chief Nursing Officer:
Susan Diddlebock: 618-826-4581 ext. 1223
Community Relations/Marketing Coordinator:
Mariah Bargman: 618-826-4581 ext. 1373
2018-2019 Scholarship Winner Announced
Elizabeth Froemling, daughter of Chris and Eric Froemling of Ava, IL is the winner of this year’s Healthcare Pathfinder Scholarship awarded by the Memorial Hospital Auxiliary. Elizabeth is currently attending Trico High School and will be attending John A. Logan College in the fall with a plan to transfer to Eastern Illinois University to study speech-language pathology. At the beginning of the Healthcare Pathfinders Program Elizabeth stated that she has always known that she wanted to pursue a career in the medical field and has even done some job shadowing in speech, physical, and occupational therapy and loved it! She was very interested in joining the Healthcare Pathfinders Program so that she could experience and gain insight into some of the other medical careers that might suit her.
After spending time and observing the Diagnostic Imaging, Cardio-Pulmonary, Laboratory, and Nursing Departments as well as the Provider Practice through the Healthcare Pathfinders Program, she was able to determine that her favorite area was still in fact the therapy setting over the fast-paced hospital setting. Elizabeth stated,
“I appreciate that therapists are able to spend more one-on-one time with their patients.”
She also stated, “When I started this program, I was unsure of my future. While I enjoyed my time in other places, I now know that therapy is the right setting for me.”
Elizabeth was one of six students to participate in the 2018-2019 Medical Pathfinder’s Program conducted by Memorial Hospital. Additional students included Stevie Gilbert, Kaleb Hughes, and Lauren Leathers, all of Chester High School and Chloe Gordon and Ashleigh Stegmann of Steeleville High School. Each student spent a total of 6 hours, job shadowing medical professionals. Students spent time with doctors, nurses, sitting in on general surgeries and patient evaluations.
“All of the employees in the departments were extremely accommodating and answered all of the questions I had,”
stated Kaleb. The students also spent time in the laboratory, with the cardio pulmonary department, and with the diagnostic imaging department. During their 6 hours, the students were evaluated by the staff they worked with and were asked to write an essay to summarize their experiences upon their completion. All six students were very professional during their time at Memorial and walked away with a better understanding of what it really takes to be a healthcare professional.
The Healthcare Pathfinder Program is offered every year to Seniors of area High Schools. Out of the students one is chosen to receive a scholarship to help them pursue their career.
2017-2018 Scholarship Winner Announced
Grace Knop, daughter of Ken and Tara Knop of Steeleville, IL is the winner of this year’s Healthcare Pathfinder Scholarship awarded by the Memorial Hospital Auxiliary. Grace is currently attending Steeleville High School and will be attending Southwestern Illinois College in the fall with a plan to transfer to a university to study nursing. During her time in the Pathfinders program she was given confidence in her career choice. She said,
“It was incredibly beneficial to hear other healthcare professionals input on what they experienced when they first entered the medical field.”
Grace found the Pathfinders Program very beneficial to helping her make her future career choice. Nursing will be a great career for her as she already loves to spend time volunteering in the community, especially at events with children. She regularly assists at the Chester Grade School Family Fun Nights and at Lapsits at the Chester Public Library during the summer. When she isn’t at school, working, or volunteering she enjoys spending time outside hunting and hiking.
Grace was one of five students to participate in the 2017-2018 Medical Pathfinder’s Program conducted by Memorial Hospital. Additional students included: Mitchell Colonel, Zachary Zappa, Kaylah Hasemeyer, and Tayler Howie, all of Chester High School and Sierra Behiter of Christ Our Savior Lutheran High School of Evansville. Each student spent a total of 6 hours, job shadowing medical professionals on their choice of a medical path or a business path. Medical Path students spent time with doctors, nurses, sitting in on general surgeries and patient evaluations.
“It felt very authentic to dress up in scrubs and masks and get too actually be in the room during the procedures,” stated Zachary.
The students also spent time in the laboratory, with the cardio pulmonary department, and with the diagnostic imaging department. Business Path students spent time with various business departments of the hospital including Human Resources, Medical Records, Accounting, Marketing, and IT. Mitchell commented that, “overall, the whole experience was very enriching.” During their 6 hours, the students were evaluated by the staff they worked with and were asked to write an essay to summarize their experiences upon their completion. All five students were very professional during their time at Memorial and walked away with a better understanding of what it really takes to be a healthcare professional.
The Healthcare Pathfinder Program is offered every year to Seniors of area High Schools. Out of the students one is chosen to receive a scholarship to help them pursue their career.
