Student Ambassador Program – Mini Medical School Held at Baystate Wing Hospital

PALMER, Mass. —  July 24, 2024 In an effort to provide local high school students the opportunity to explore healthcare fields to help them determine a career path, Baystate Wing Hospital (BWH) launched its first-ever Student Ambassador – Mini Medical School Program.

The program is an intensive two-week “mini-medical school” where students learn just some of the many different roles. Nine local students spent two weeks in July at BWH rotating through six different departments, attending educational sessions that were both hands-on and observation, and receiving some training like CPR, How to Stop the Bleed, and hand hygiene. Each day they experienced something new.

“I heard about the Student Ambassador Mini Medical School program during morning announcements at school and decided to put in an application to attend,” said George Wheeler from Belchertown High School. “I’m interested in a career in healthcare and thought this would allow me to explore different fields of medicine. Every day was a great experience! During the two weeks at Baystate Wing, I rounded in so many different departments and enjoyed learning from everyone. I found it interesting to learn about all aspects of healthcare, from clinical to non-clinical members of the team, especially liked hearing from the finance department and the quality team; all together everyone cared that patients had a good experience. What I gained from attending Mini Medical School is that I have an interest in clinical rehab, particularly occupational health, and hope to pursue that in college after I graduate next year.”

At the end of the two weeks, a graduation ceremony was held where each student had to give a 3–4-minute slide presentation about their experience and journey through the program to their family and BWH team members. As they shared the highlights of their hospital experience and journey, they also shared if they were about to determine or reaffirm a career path decision or if they wanted to delve into a particular area further. The students also receive a Certificate of Completion for doing the program.

“The Student Ambassador Program has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. Not having had this kind of opportunity when I was in school brings me immense joy to be able to provide the first step in these students' career path,” said Michele LaPrade, volunteer coordinator for the hospital.

The program, also offered at other Baystate Health Hospitals, is designed to offer selected high school students, 16 and older, who have a keen interest in pursuing careers in healthcare, the unique opportunity to explore some of the many different healthcare roles and experience in the hospital setting.

“Our goal is to help them either make a decision as to what medical career they wish to pursue or guide them in taking a deeper look into a particular field before they make the decision on what college to attend that fits their healthcare career choice,” note LaPrade.

“The launch of the Student Ambassador Program – Mini Medical School at Baystate Wing Hospital marks a significant step towards nurturing the healthcare leaders of tomorrow,” said Karli Barrett, chief nursing officer/chief administrative officer for Baystate Wing Hospital. “As the program progresses, it promises to not only enrich the educational journey of each student but also strengthen the bond between our hospital and the communities we serve.”

Baystate Wing Hospital plans to continue offering the Student Ambassador Program annually for two weeks each summer. The hospital will reach out to local schools in the coming year with details and applications for interested students.

For more information about the Student Ambassador Program – Mini Medical School program or volunteer opportunities at Baystate Wing Hospital contact Michele LaPrade at 413-370-5295 or michele.laprade@baystatehealth.org