It was inspiring to work with the youth in our community and know the future of healthcare is in good hands!
Over the last several weeks, local high school students got a taste of Bronson Positivity through the MyCITY Kalamazoo Summer Youth Employment Program. Administered by YOU (a division of Kalamazoo RESA), the program provides a job shadowing experience for City of Kalamazoo residents that combines employment, educational and career exploration components.
Four students with an interest in healthcare careers were matched with Bronson Methodist Hospital during the program’s internship fair. Throughout the summer, they were exposed to a wide range of career opportunities in healthcare and at Bronson, including:
- Rehabilitation Services
- Environmental Service (EVS)
- Food Service
- Nursing
- Patient Transport
- Community Health, Equity and Inclusion
- Customer Service
- Meetings and Events
- Human Resources
- Talent Development
- And more
Rising senior, Simone, has always dreamed of becoming an occupational therapist (OT). While the OT path is still on the table, her time at Bronson sparked her interest in speech therapy and nursing. “Now that I’ve seen so many different jobs in the healthcare field, I feel like I’m better informed to make decisions as I pursue my career,” she said.
Another student, Bridget, began the program hoping to become a pediatrician in a practice setting, but is now open to working with kids in a hospital. “I learned I really like the hospital environment,” she said.
For Ebube, an aspiring general surgeon, and Felix, who would like to pursue a career in neurology, the last five weeks confirmed their career goals, but also made them realize the countless opportunities available in healthcare. Felix said, “I wish I had more time to explore even more!”
Thank you to YOU and the City of Kalamazoo for allowing Bronson to host Bridget, Ebube, Felix and Simone this summer! All of the employees who interacted with these students were so impressed with their maturity and commitment to the program. They were engaged and always had a positive attitude. It was inspiring to work with the youth in our community and know the future of healthcare is in good hands!
