Nearly 200 Chatham-Kent high school students have been given a hands-on look at diverse careers within the local healthcare sector.
The Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) and St. Clair College held their first-ever Healthcare Horizons event on Tuesday, welcoming around 170 Grade 11 and 12 students to the Chatham hospital site and the Thames Campus.
During an immersive day of learning, the students were provided a comprehensive look at the healthcare sector through live demonstrations and interactive stations.
“There are many different professions that are [part of the] daily operations within the hospital, and we need to showcase those different jobs,” said Healthcare Horizons founder and coordinator Brandon Boundy. “It’s not just limited to nursing, physicians, or PSWs.”
Each participant travelled to both the college and the hospital, learning about health care programs such as nursing and paramedicine, as well as various careers including respiratory therapy, biomedical engineering, pharmacy, diagnostic imaging, and laboratory services.
The students were also shown the practical steps required to enter the healthcare field, spanning from secondary school prerequisites to post-secondary program options.
Organizers are already looking toward the future, with plans to turn Healthcare Horizons into a recurring event.
“The hope is for this to be an annual event to give access to behind-the-scenes of healthcare and educational pathways that are free for students during school time. I think it will translate to more successful events,” said Boundy. “We’re hoping we’re going to get some early engagement for later retention.”