| | | | Explore Health Careers High School Students
The NW PA AHEC works with high school students to ensure the ability to achieve the goal of having a career in health care. As with all of the grades we work with, we continue to encourage the possibilities in the health care industry. These professions are vast and very rewarding, especially at a time when our country is experiencing a critical shortage of health care professionals and the need for excellent health care is continuously rising. Through more in depth programming, we make sure high school students are educated on all the different health care opportunities. The importance of doing well in math and science, as well as the rest of their academic courses, throughout high school is stressed. We also strive to educate students on developing as a professional in order to obtain and excel at a career in the health care industry.
Health Career Day
The NW PA AHEC organizes a Health Career Day that teaches students about a variety of health careers, hospital principals and practices, and allows students to get an individualized shadowing experience. Students get to work with simulated “patients” to learn how to take vital signs and practice other medical readings and become educated on the healthcare industry from real healthcare professionals. Students learn what it takes to become part of our growing
healthcare industry. This year's health career day is sponsored by the Northcentral Workforce Investment Board, in conjunction with Lock Haven University-Clearfield Campus and the Clearfield Hospital. This event is open to 9th through 11th grade students attending school in Elk, Cameron, Clearfield, Jefferson, McKean, and Potter counties.  Click here for more information and your application.
Career PresentationThe NW PA AHEC offers a comprehensive Health Career Presentation for grades 7th through 12th. Though similar to the content and structure of our Wheel of Future© program, the Career Presentation is structured to provide more in depth information to the higher grade levels. The presentation provokes students to think about their career paths in a more serious manner. Students learn what steps they should be taking right now to achieve a career in health care and how to be successful at choosing the right career. Through class discussion and visuals, students compare job descriptions, experience and educational backgrounds, and the expected pay ranges for a variety of health care careers. Students are also taught the importance of developing themselves as a professional while they are still in high school in order to be successful through higher education and in the health industry.
Presentation Objectives:
• Students will be able to identify several study skills and/or learning behaviors that increase their success in meeting career goals.
• Students will increase their knowledge of health career opportunities.
• Students will gain an understanding in education levels as related to expected annual salaries.
• Students will be aware of the services and contact information for further health career exploration interests.
To schedule a free program in Northwest Pennsylvania, or for more information on the Career Presentation, contact Jane Mullinax at the NW PA AHEC.
Visit our Products section for information on purchasing this program for your school or organization.
Shadowing
The NW PA AHEC takes pride in the relationships it has fostered with local health care facilities and professionals. Through these relationships we are able to connect diligent students with health care professionals for shadowing experiences in order to strengthen and refine their goals of getting into the health care industry.
For more information on setting up a shadowing experience, contact Jane Mullinax at the NW PA AHEC.
Health Career CampsThe NW PA AHEC offers several types of guidance and assistance to high school students in the way of programming and connecting students with other helpful resources. The NW PA AHEC hosts a Health Career Camp every summer for students going into 9th through 12th grade. These camps allow students to strengthen their academic skills to focus on health careers,  and students are able to work with real professionals in the health care industry to further encourage a career in health care. These residential camps are held at a different college campus in northwest Pennsylvania every year, so students not only reinforce their career goals, but get a unique taste of college life as well.
Please visit the AHEC Camps section for more information on this year’s camp and how you can apply! 
If you've attended one of the NW PA AHEC Summer Camps, or are thinking about attending, join our Facebook Group to connect with other campers, the NW PA AHEC staff, and other health professionals! I Went Camping With AHEC
These Resources may help you discover more information and provide more direction into health careers.
NW PA Area Health Education Center | 1913 West 8th Street | Erie, PA 16505 | P:814-453-6551 | F:814-455-4320 | |
