We had the same problems with our Jr. Vol. program over the years. I saw a session at an AHVRP Conference called MASH (Medical Application of Science for Health) and we implemented that program last year and just completed our second year. It is a 2 week program in the summer and we can only take 25 students, and they must be going into their junior or senior year in high school. We had 27 applications last year and 71 applications this year. Each day of the two weeks focuses on a different healthcare topic (Heart, Orthopedics, Surgery, Emergency Services, Birth to Death day) and one day the students work with a non-profit agency to "volunteer" their services to that agency (last year was a children's museum, this year Hope House a domestic abuse agency. Our staff has really embraced this program, HOSA teachers love it and we have worked with many outside agencies in our community that have been very supportive. We work through the local Board of Education to provide bus service to transport students to the off-site organizations we visit. We also spend one day at the local junior college in town that educates them on their 4 allied healthcare services offered and the last day is a graudation ceremony and we invite the student's parents and show a powerpoint presentation of the program. Students journal everyday about their experience and at least one student is selected to read their journal from that day (we have about 75 at graduation including our CEO). It takes the Asst. Director out of our office for those two weeks, but it has been a wonderful transition and by far a better overall experience for the kids and it is much better exposure to many, many health care topics and more "hands on" for them. Feel free to contact us for more information.
Cindy Fox
Maury Regional Medical Center - Columbia, TN
cfox@mauryregional.com
