SGCMH Hosts Futures Program For Fourth Year

Eight high school students with an interest in health care are learning from the professionals at Ste. Genevieve County Memorial Hospital (SGCMH) through shadowing opportunities.

This is the fourth summer that SGCMH has offered the Futures Program to local students.

“If we ‘grow our own,’ then we will be successful in attracting our students into the healthcare field,” said Sarah Kelley, SGCMH human resources director. “Students are the future doctors, nurses, radiology techs, physical therapists, lab techs and all other jobs in the healthcare arena. Businesses and industries, like hospitals, must build relationships with students so they will know where they want to work.”

Kelley said the program is a tremendous opportunity for the hospital to showcase healthcare jobs. The students work directly with hospital employees and experience first-hand what healthcare is about.

The 2019 eight-week program began with orientation and then students jumped right in with CPR training led by Courtland Hampton, MSN, RN, clinical education coordinator.

“This is an excellent opportunity to give the students a glimpse into what patient care is like, and to help them decide if they want to pursue it as a career,” Hampton said. “I know the staff very much enjoys giving them the attention and benefit of their experiences, and can certainly guide them on the classes that would assist them. It’s a great benefit for everyone.”

The 2019 Futures Program students and the SGCMH departments in which they are shadowing are Breelyn Vessell, Valle senior, oncology; Delaney MacMillan, Valle junior, medical surgery; Cora Friedman, Valle junior, physical/occupational therapy; Tabitha Gibson, Ste. Genevieve High School (SGHS) junior, medical surgery; Hannah Duro, SGHS senior, cardiopulmonary rehab; Erika Reed, SGHS senior, diagnostic imaging; Ellie Gatzemeyer, Valle senior, respiratory therapy; and Camryn Williams, SGHS senior, laboratory.   

A minimum of two $500 scholarships to a college of their choice will be awarded at the end of the program.

Students must complete at least 80 hours of shadowing and write a one-page essay on what they learned during their hospital experience.

(Information in a release from Ste. Genevieve County Memorial Hospital.)

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