Evangelical Community Hospital Hosts 20th High School Healthcare Careers Internship Program

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Overall employment in healthcare occupations is projected to grow 13 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations; this increase is expected to result in about 2 million new jobs over the decade. In addition to new jobs from growth, opportunities arise from the need to replace workers who leave their occupations permanently. About 1.9 million openings each year, on average, are projected to come from growth and replacement needs.

Evangelical Community Hospital in Lewisburg is proactively preparing students interested in healthcare-related careers for success. Through a unique high school internship program, students are experiencing first-hand aspects of care and potential healthcare-related careers to figure out if healthcare is a person fit for them. This is the 20th class to have gone through the program.

“For many students approaching the end of their high school years there can be a bit of uncertainty regarding what they may want to pursue as a career,” said Tiffany Clemens, Training and Development Specialist at Evangelical.

“This internship provides students who have a desire to pursue healthcare careers the opportunity to ‘try it out’ before committing to further education in the field. For some it reinforces where their passions are and for others, it allows them to narrow down whether or not they want to pursue another direction. Either way, it is a win for the student and the Hospital.”

This year’s class includes 17 individuals, made up of students having completed their sophomore, junior or senior years at schools throughout the surrounding districts. The students must have a grade point average of 3.3 (88%) or better and the willingness to experience different areas of the healthcare environment.

The 72-hour internship program provides 24 hours in the classroom and 48 hours of one-on-one interaction with staff and patients. Hospital educators teach the students a variety of skills including CPR certification, lifting and transfer techniques, and personal care skills. The classroom training includes various presentations by supporting clinical areas in the Hospital, as well as learning how to care for a patient. This includes bathing, making the bed, transfer techniques, vital signs, and more.

The high school students of this year’s class come from area school districts including Danville, Lewisburg, Line Mountain, Midd-West, Mifflinburg, Selinsgrove, and Williamsport.

The students began classroom training in mid-June and will be placed in different rotations in varying departments including Inpatient Nursing Units, Imaging Services, Emergency Services, Therapies (Speech, Respiratory, Occupational, and Physical), One-Day Surgery, Laboratory, Pharmacy, Hospice, and the Wound Clinic following their classroom instruction.

Students can use their summer experiences at the Hospital to meet job shadowing requirements while experiencing first-hand a career path they might wish to pursue. For more information on the High School Summer Healthcare Careers Internship program, contact Tiffany Clemens at [email protected] or visit www.EvanHospital.com/MedicalEducation.