Evangelical Community Hospital Hosts High School Healthcare Careers Internship Program

From left to right: Megan Campbell, Selinsgrove; Rosella Delgado, Northumberland; Makayla Mitchell, Middleburg; Grace Walsh, Lewisburg; Brook Karchner, Mifflinburg; and Amber Leitzel, Mifflinburg.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, employment in the healthcare industry is projected to grow 14 percent from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations, adding about 1.9 million new jobs. Healthcare occupations are projected to add more jobs than any other occupational group. This projected growth is mainly due to an aging population, leading to greater demand for healthcare services.

Evangelical Community Hospital in Lewisburg is taking proactive steps to prepare students interested in healthcare-related careers to meet the future demand through a unique program that allows them to experience many aspects of care. 

This year’s class includes six individuals, made up of students having completed their 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 nurses 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 a fully recreated patient stay where students learn how to care for a patient from feeding, bathing, and oral hygiene, to making the bed and completing paperwork.

The high school students of this year’s class come from five school districts including Lewisburg, Midd-West, Mifflinburg, Selinsgrove, and Shikellamy.

The students began classroom training in late June and will be placed in six-day rotations in varying departments including Obstetrics, Emergency, Intensive Care, and One-Day Surgery 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, call 570-522-2727 or visit www.evanhospital.com.