Groundhog Job Shadow Day at BIDMC
Employees share their work day with Boston high school students
Date: 2/5/2010
BIDMC Contact: Kelly Lawman
Phone: 617-667-7305
Email: klawman@bidmc.harvard.edu
On Tuesday, Feb. 2, twenty-seven high school students from the John D. O’Bryant School in Roxbury teamed up with BIDMC professionals ranging from public safety to sleep medicine, all part of Groundhog Job Shadow Day.
“We got to see brain waves and it was really interesting,” said student Marleah Cummins who was paired with Patricia Morin, Chief EEG Technician, Neurology. “It also really opened my eyes to see how important the support staff at a hospital is."
The event is a Boston Private Industry Council initiative with the goal of connecting students in Boston Public Schools to education and employment opportunities. This is the 15th year that BIDMC has partnered with PIC in the Job Shadow program by inviting curious students to spend a morning with hospital professionals.
“By hosting these students each year, BIDMC helps high school kids start to develop an interest in healthcare careers and exposes them to areas they might not have known about previously,” said Emily Beck, Program Administrator, Workforce Development.
“I think I want to be a nurse, but I’m always flipping, because I’d also like to be a manager,” said student, Ramira Bowie who shadowed Marsha Maurer, Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services and CNO. “Marsha took me to a nurse manager’s meeting and I liked that they were talking about the issues and what’s going on, but they still get to take care of patients, so it was something that I could see myself doing.”
After spending the morning with their hosts, students gathered for lunch and to share their experience. “I spent the morning with Dave Fobert in the Simulation Lab,” said participant Mahad Abdi. “It was amazing. We practiced doing stomach surgery without cutting. I didn’t know you could do that. I also learned a lot about how technology and medicine go together.”
Students repeatedly described their experience as “eye opening,” and were thankful that they also received career and college advice from their hosts. “I really wanted my student Brenda to know what I do, so it was great. And I wanted to share information about college and how to apply for scholarships. I wanted her to know that if I can do it, she can do it too,” said Gladimir Thomas, Community Resource Specialist, Social Work.
