Memorial Hospital is honored to offer a Medical Exploring program this year to young adults ages 14-21 years. The nationally recognized program is a branch of the Greater St. Louis Area Council, Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Exploring is part of the Learning for Life’s career education program for young men and women by the BSA. The purpose of the program is to provide experiences to help young people mature and to prepare them to become responsible and caring adults. Memorial’s Medical Exploring program is designed to create a unique, hands-on structure that provides learning activities for the participants’ special interests and help guide them to a future career in the healthcare field.
As a registered Post, Memorial is able to design a program that fits their participant size and works well across their facilities to best demonstrate the careers and opportunities available within healthcare. Memorial’s program runs the length of a full school year, starting in September and ending in May. The 2019-2020 group is the first charter group at Memorial. The group of 23 students from high schools throughout Randolph County and Jackson County meets monthly and each meeting welcomes a new presenting department. Each department explains the education needed to obtain qualifying degrees or certificates in their field, what their job tasks consist of, and plans a hands-on demonstration of the tools or equipment they use to complete their tasks. “Interaction is key,” states Committee Chairperson, Mariah Bargman.
“By providing an interactive experience in the field it helps resonate with the students the real-life duties performed every day. By letting the students observe real patients, touch and control the tools, and view real-time imagery the students become an active part in the program.”
Professionals from the Human Resource Department, the Nursing Department, Radiology Department, the Therapy & Sports Rehab Center, EMS and Paramedics from both ambulance and air medical, and specialty providers in audiology and speech therapy are scheduled to provide educational programs to this year’s group. By the end of the program, the students will be CPR certified and have the opportunity to job shadow in the Pharmacy and with Operating Room nurses observing real surgeries. As part of the program requirements, Memorial also requires participants to spend four hours volunteering at the volunteer desk at the main entrance of the hospital or at another community event. During their volunteer time at the desk. Greg Crain, an established volunteer, has been able to mentor many of the students, which is a great opportunity for them to learn about the wonderful service Memorial’s active volunteers provide to our community.
The main goal of the program at Memorial is to show students that there are many medical career options here in our rural community. By educating the participants before they make their professional career choices, we hope they will end up making the right choices and pursue a career they love. Through the mentors and connections made in the program across a variety of departments, Memorial hopes to provide the resources needed for the future healthcare providers to excel and succeed in their final path.
To see more photos and learn more about the program visit our Medical Exploring page here.