High school interns at Reading Hospital began their exploration of health care careers Monday.
Reading Hospital said 29 high school students are participating in the internship program this year with 26 for a full year and three for the spring semester.
The interns will work in a variety of clinical and non-clinical disciplines including nursing, cardiology, Children’s Health Center, Emergency Department, labor and delivery, oncology, Center for Public Health, and McGlinn Cancer Institute, among others. Students will complete approximately 300 hours of work in their assigned department during their internship, Reading Hospital said.
“September is an exciting month for us because it’s when we welcome our new interns to Reading Hospital and get to expose them to all the moving parts that make a healthcare system function,” said Desha Dickson, vice president of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Community Wellness at Tower Health. “We value education and growth within our system and strive to share that knowledge with our community through the various programs and opportunities available with us.”
In addition to working in their department, interns will participate in a variety of educational workshops to build their professional skillset. The interns will explore areas such as financial literacy, resume writing and mock interviews, and healthcare career roundtables.
To date, 88 students have participated in the program and about 30% remain engaged with Reading Hospital after graduation, Reading Hospital said.
Fourteen students participated in job shadowing experiences, three have participated in the College Internship Program, and 12 have returned to Reading Hospital for employment.
Last year, all 30 graduates of the program planned to pursue higher education and 29 are pursuing a career in healthcare.
“We are thrilled to welcome another class of interns to Reading Hospital” said Dr. Charles F. Barber, Reading Hospital president and CEO. “Throughout the year, our interns will have the opportunity to explore the many career pathways of healthcare through real-world, hands-on learning experiences. I would like to express my sincerest thanks to the students for their commitment and dedication to the health and wellness of our community, and to all the team members and departments that work to make the internship program such a success.”