Health Careers Program

Contact: Marlene Doan
Office Manager/PROJECT coordinator

Health Careers Program

The Northcentral PA AHEC provides support for the Health Careers Program for the Southern Tioga School District and Williamsport Area School District. The Center encourages high school students to explore a variety of health related careers through facilitation and educational resources and opportunities.

The Southern Tioga School District Health Careers program begins in a student's junior year of high school. During this year, the students are required to study health careers in a classroom setting. Upon completion of the course, interested students are given the opportunity to apply for the Level II Health Careers Program, which takes place in their senior year of high school.

The students begin their year in Level II Health Careers Program by attending an orientation featuring health professionals from throughout Tioga County, including counselors, pharmacists, nurses, community health providers, health education providers and home health and hospice providers. The Center coordinates the month long orientation. At the conclusion of the orientation period, the students are required to present on their "Ideal Health System." Health professionals and school officials are invited to this presentation.

Upon completion of the orientation, the students then begin traveling to rotations at Laurel Health System, Soldiers + Sailors Memorial Hospital and the Green Home, a nursing home facility. Each student will complete at least one rotation in every department at the hospital and the Green Home. During the last semester of the year students are given the opportunity to have a focused rotation in the area of most interest to them.

The Center provides the opportunity for the Health Careers students, from both Southern Tioga and Williamsport Area, to travel to Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, Montour County. Here the students learn about career opportunities in a tertiary hospital. This event includes tours of the Children's Hospital, the Emergency Department, and the Life Flight Helipad.

This is a wonderful opportunity for any student who is interested in a health career.