TURNERS FALLS — Two Franklin County Technical School students will get the opportunity to shadow health care workers in a hospital this summer.
For the first time, Tech students will participate in Baystate Franklin Medical Center’s student ambassador program, which will introduce students to health care careers like nursing, radiology and nutrition.
“This is a valuable program because students get the opportunity to work with professionals in a hospital setting,” said FCTS Health and Technology instructor Gretchen Werle. “They’ll see what it’s like to work in a variety of careers. It will help them with future career decision-making by going through this six-week program.”
The program is in its 11th year and has about a 50 percent acceptance rate, said manager of volunteer services Becky George. Applications come in from students all over Franklin County.
About 85 percent of the students who go through this program end up working in the health care field, said George.
Franklin County Technical School juniors Morgan Gradie of Colrain and Khylar Hughes of Ashfield will be paired with mentors who will guide them through the daily life working at the hospital.
“I’m very happy that I was selected,” said Hughes, whose top choices of departments to work in include surgery, emergency room, radiology and obstetrics.
“You hear about what it’s like to work in the field, but you don’t know what it’s actually like,” she said, also noting that she is excited to see a birth surgery while participating in the program.
Gradie said she applied for the program because she hopes to become a nurse and work in a hospital. “Later, when I get a job, I’ll know how to act with people in different situations,” she said.
According to Werle, Hughes and Gradie were excellent candidates because of the health care experience they have already received in the Tech Health Technology program. “I hope it’s something our kids can get into every year,” she said.
There are 16 different hospital departments that participate in the summer program. Every week during the program, students will go to a different department.
The program also features a career night, when health care professionals from the hospital will give presentations on their career paths.
When students arrive, they will hear five-minute presentations from each of the hospital’s departments. They will then make a list of their top choices.
“They get some of what they wanted and they might get some surprises. The goal is that students get exposed to a broad range of careers in health care, not just the things generally associated with health care like nursing,” George said.
Students will be asked to keep a journal of their experiences. At the end of the program, students will be asked to present and reflect on their experience at a ceremony in front of friends and family.
You can reach Lisa Spear at: lspear@recorder.com
or 413-772-0261, ext. 280