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Sentara Obici Hospital hosts Franklin City Public School students
A day of learning, shadowing, and fun
Physical therapy, surgery, radiology, and maternity. Those are just some of the Sentara Obici Hospital departments students from Franklin City Public Schools were able to tour on Thursday, October 19.
The group from the J.P. King, Jr. Career and Technical Academy ranged in age from 15 to 18. They spent the day touring the hospital, shadowing nurses and technicians, and learning about career opportunities in healthcare.
Additionally, the staff gave presentations to students highlighting healthcare professions they may have not heard of or considered, such as laboratory technician. Questions ranged from, “Do you draw blood?” to “Are you a doctor?”
Their curiosity was evident, especially as they suited up in personal protective equipment and walked into one of the operating rooms. The “tools” or surgeon’s instruments were a big hit.
Sentara is committed to the future of healthcare and that starts with our youth. According to the , by 2034, there will be a shortage of up to 48,000 primary care physicians. Those numbers do not include specialists or technicians in the allied health professions, which also face in the years to come.
“It takes a village to raise a child, and it takes a team to make a patient’s stay at the hospital a good one,” said Mary Jones, a nursing educator at Sentara Obici Hospital. “From the person you meet at the front desk to the nurse and physician, we all work together to provide quality care.” Jones organized the day for the students and made sure pizza was included for lunch.
Sentara Obici Hospital also offers an immersive summer camp for students in Suffolk. They learn even more about possible job opportunities, participate in hands-on activities, and learn skills like administering first aid. The goal of these youth experiences is to increase the number of people who want to be healthcare professionals and promote a variety of careers to young people.
The group from the J.P. King, Jr. Career and Technical Academy ranged in age from 15 to 18. They spent the day touring the hospital, shadowing nurses and technicians, and learning about career opportunities in healthcare.
Additionally, the staff gave presentations to students highlighting healthcare professions they may have not heard of or considered, such as laboratory technician. Questions ranged from, “Do you draw blood?” to “Are you a doctor?”
Their curiosity was evident, especially as they suited up in personal protective equipment and walked into one of the operating rooms. The “tools” or surgeon’s instruments were a big hit.
Sentara is committed to the future of healthcare and that starts with our youth. According to the , by 2034, there will be a shortage of up to 48,000 primary care physicians. Those numbers do not include specialists or technicians in the allied health professions, which also face in the years to come.
“It takes a village to raise a child, and it takes a team to make a patient’s stay at the hospital a good one,” said Mary Jones, a nursing educator at Sentara Obici Hospital. “From the person you meet at the front desk to the nurse and physician, we all work together to provide quality care.” Jones organized the day for the students and made sure pizza was included for lunch.
Sentara Obici Hospital also offers an immersive summer camp for students in Suffolk. They learn even more about possible job opportunities, participate in hands-on activities, and learn skills like administering first aid. The goal of these youth experiences is to increase the number of people who want to be healthcare professionals and promote a variety of careers to young people.
By: Jen Lewis