John F. Kennedy High School health sciences students are learning what it means to serve in the healthcare sector with a hands-on internship program offered by Novant Health.
Bridges to Healthcare is a professional development program offered to juniors and seniors at Tile I schools who are interested in careers in healthcare. Participants practice hands-on career skills alongside industry professionals to help ensure that they’re ready to work right away after graduation. Students earn $17 per hour for their work in the afterschool program and can even earn professional certifications, making Bridges to Healthcare a great supplement to what they learn in the classroom.
“John F. Kennedy High School prepares students for success,” said Career Development Coordinator Deborah Cochran. “Students make connections and gain valuable skills in and outside the classroom by participating in internships and field trips to hospitals and universities. These experiences stay with students for a lifetime.”
Exposure to realistic work practices is essential to making hospital staffing efficient and effective. Not only can students get early insight into how to best do the jobs they’re interested in, they can also gain clarity on exactly what they want to do. JFK Senior Julissa Mariche-Ayala changed her mind about what discipline she wanted to pursue after her internship, and she’s all the more excited about her future career because of it.
“I personally went into it with the mindset of wanting to become a neonatal nurse. However, when I got the opportunity to be in the actual neonatal department, my mindset changed, and I came out with the mindset of wanting to become a phlebotomist,” Mariche-Ayala said. “Being in the hospital is very real. You get to see actual patients that are unwell and everything that goes on. So far, being at Bridges to Healthcare has been one of my favorite experiences.”
Bridges to Healthcare also instills a more practical understanding of healthcare as a public service in students. It takes a very particular frame of mind to embrace the chaotic schedule, high stakes, and complex training that goes into taking care of people. It’s not for everyone, but it can be incredibly rewarding for the right candidates, and internships like this help students understand where they can fit in.
“I learned that healthcare is not just about taking care of sick people,” JFK Senior Kya Saincine said. “It’s about nurturing and building relationships. It’s not a job; it’s a calling."
Shalinda Witcher, JFK’s lead health science teacher and HOSA advisor, is proud of the future-focused curriculum her school utilizes. Students earn essential credentials, run health fairs, work with local colleges and professionals, and take ownership of their futures through their time at JFK. Bridges to Healthcare is just one major steppingstone they take on the path to a bright future for themselves and their communities.
“I believe our health science program changes lives,” Witcher said. “We’re not just teaching students about the human body – we’re preparing the next generation of healthcare professionals who will make a difference in their communities. I’m so proud of what our students are achieving here at JFK.”