Emory & Henry Lab School Takes Flight Today with Area High School Students
Local High School Students Start Their Healthcare Careers and Earn College Credits With New Lab School in the Region
Orientation for new SWVA HEALS (Healthcare Excellence Academy Lab School) students, who will begin to receive in-person instruction in the field of healthcare, was held on August 9 at the Southwest Virginia Higher Ed Center. Students were divided into two cohorts with students from Smyth County and Wythe County attending classes on the Emory and Henry Health Sciences Campus in Marion, VA, and the students from Bristol City and Washington County attending at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon, VA. Students from A. Linwood Holton Governor’s School also attended orientation.
“One of the biggest challenges in healthcare today is staffing,” said Bryan Mullins, COO/Administrator, Johnston Memorial Hospital. “There are tremendous career opportunities in nursing, radiology, respiratory, lab, and OR / cath lab techs in most hospitals in the United States. Johnston Memorial Hospital being no exception. It has been a pleasure at JMH to work with the local students in the Emory and Henry HEALS program so that they can experience the various careers in healthcare through their shadowing program.” He adds that the HEALS students have been exceptional as they are engaged and excited to learn about the different roles and will hopefully choose a healthcare career path which will help fill the staffing void in our region and our hospital. “This innovative program is focused on building key relationships and interest with these students that will positively impact healthcare in Southwest Virginia and we are glad to be able to partner with Emory and Henry in this endeavor,” said Mullins.
According to Dante Lee, Director for SWVA HEALS, all courses will be dual enrollment, meaning that students will receive high school and college credit for each course. One unique feature of the program is the opportunity for students to job shadow in specific areas of interest in the healthcare field. Students will spend class time in the field observing and gaining hands-on experience and experiential learning opportunities will be stressed throughout the program.
“The partnership that this program has developed with the local hospitals (Ballad and Wytheville Community Hospital), the four school divisions (Bristol, Washington, Wythe, & Smyth), the A. Linwood Holton Governor’s School, Wytheville Community College, Virginia Highlands Community College, Emory and Henry University, and the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center shows what a collaborative effort that has been made to ensure the opportunity available for a student that has an interest in pursuing a potential career in the healthcare industry,” added Lee.
The students will also have access to clinical skills labs, science labs, simulation labs, computer labs, and state-of-the-art equipment according to Mike Davidson, Assistant Director.
“The HEALS program is a wonderful opportunity for students to explore their interest in healthcare fields,” said Kelly Russell, principal of Chilhowie High School. “They get to see, first-hand, some of what they will experience. The program offers experiential learning that is unprecedented for students - that are still in high school. We are beyond excited to see how the HEALS program grows and for the future of our students.”
Classes will officially begin on the two campuses with students on Tuesday, August 13 on both campuses (Bristol / Washington Students at the Higher Ed Center and Smyth / Wythe Students at the Emory Health Science Campus) from 8:30 - 11:15 a.m.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for students pursuing a career in the Healthcare field and they are excited about the curriculum and the experiences provided by the HEALS program,” said Jimmy King, principal of John Battle High School.
The junior cohort of 45 students will be starting in the fall on the two campuses mentioned. The 49 member sophomore cohort will begin taking asynchronous courses at their home school in the spring with six experiential learning workshops at the campuses and the hospitals.
Students are from Fort Chiswell High School, George Wythe High School, Rural Retreat High School, Marion Senior High School, Chilhowie High School, Northwood High School, Patrick Henry High School, Holston High School, Abingdon High School, John Battle High School, Virginia High School and Cornerstone Christian Academy.
“I am looking forward to working with this group again as I found them to be highly motivated, engaged, and passionate about the coursework and material. They are very inquisitive and take great pride in their work and the program. It is very exciting for our local healthcare community,” said Dr. Kendra McReynolds, A. Linwood Holton Governor’s School Instructor who had several of the students in Medical Terminology this past spring.
The Emory & Henry University HEALS program is a board-approved Lab School and is supported by a College Partnership Laboratory School grant from the Virginia Department of Education. Old Dominion University (ODU) will serve as the fiscal agent for the distribution of the Lab School grant funds. ODU stepped in as a public university fiscal oversight partner as E&H in one of only two private institutions participating in the lab school program throughout the Commonwealth.
“I’m eager to get to know each student and to be a part of their educational journey. The HEALS program is a unique opportunity for students and I hope it gets them excited about their future options for college majors and careers in healthcare,” said Mandy Allen, A. Linwood Holton Governor’s School Instructor and adjunct faculty member for Emory & Henry University, that will have all of the students from both cohorts this fall and spring on the campus of Emory’s Health Science Campus and the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center.
Open gallery
“It has been a pleasure at JMH to work with the local students in the Emory and Henry HEALS program so that they can experience the various careers in healthcare through their shadowing program.”
—Bryan Mullins, COO/Administrator, Johnston Memorial Hospital