Barrington hospital offer students insight into medical careers

Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital’s Future Healthcare Professionals Program is offered to high school juniors interested in pursuing careers in medicine and allied health fields including nursing, physical, occupational and speech therapies, radiology, pharmacy, dietary, laboratory and more.

The program provides students a unique opportunity.

“Normally high school students cannot come in to a hospital and observe the different health care roles in action,” said Renee Norberg, manager of Clinical Education. “There is so much within the hospital. The students are exposed to different roles, causing them to possibly pursue different career paths.”

Eight students have been selected to take part in the 10th anniversary 2012 Future Healthcare Professionals Program. The students completed a written application, submitted transcripts and letters of reference. They also interviewed with a panel of hospital associates and demonstrated extraordinary individual merit to earn a spot in the program.

The students include: Kaley Dean, Mundelein Consolidated High School; Kristie Ford, Wauconda High School; Kathryn Hampel, Cary Grove High School; Lexi Kacena, Marian Central Catholic; Samantha Parquette, Barrington High School; Emily Pistorius, Cary Grove High School; Mercedes Shouldice, Marian Central High School; and Connor Sundberg, Marian Central High School.

The student’s interest in a particular field will guide his or her observations during the program. Experts within the various fields will provide guidance and mentoring to students throughout the three-week program. Additional information includes future job outlook, education required for specific health care professions and projected annual salaries.