Memorial Hospital of Chester accepted seven students into the 2019-2020 Pathfinders Program this year. This year’s participants are: Victoria Frederking, Alexandria Hinnerichs, Ashtyn Jany, Mabry Miles, Avery Runge, Briana Surman, and Mallary Vasquez.
The Pathfinders Program gives high school seniors the opportunity to job shadow employees in various departments at the hospital, clinics, and rehab facility December through April. Each student spends a total of 6 hours, job shadowing medical professionals on their choice of a medical path or a business path. Medical Path students spend time with doctors, nurses, sitting in on general surgeries and patient evaluations, along with time spent in the laboratory, cardio pulmonary department, and with the diagnostic imaging department. Business Path students spend time with various business departments of the hospital including Human Resources, Medical Records, Accounting, Marketing, and IT. During their 6 hours, the students undergo a staff evaluation, and they write an essay to summarize their experiences upon their completion. This program gives them a better understanding of what each job entails and allows them to ask questions to help them better understand how to achieve a professional career in the healthcare field.
This is the 4th year that the Healthcare Pathfinder Program has been offered to Seniors of area High Schools. Each you the program grows a little larger. This year Memorial Hospital added a Medical Explorers group to their youth programs which is offered to students ages 14-21 years. The Pathfinders Program is designed as a job shadowing opportunity for seniors whereas the Medical Exploring Program holds monthly meetings where different departments present on their field. One gives them a group look into medical careers and the other gives them a real-world experience with one-on-one job shadowing. Upon completion of the Pathfinders program, one student receives a scholarship to help them pursue their career.
“The Pathfinders Program and Medical Exploring Program are both great opportunities for young adults to get an inside look at the different career options in the medical field before they begin their college education,” says Mariah Bargman, program organizers.
“Both programs are amazing opportunities to better prepare the students for a future career.”