Summer Scrubs: MCHD gives high school students real look at careers in public health



High school students from across the Alabama Gulf Coast have been taking part

in the Summer Scrubs internship program for 11 years. Mobile County Health Officer

Dr. Bernard Eichold meets two MCHD participants on July 28, 2014.

MOBILE, Ala. -- The Mobile County Health Department is among the agencies taking part in Summer Scrubs, a week-long internship program for high school students that give the teens a chance to get an up-close look at a variety of healthcare professions.

About 140 Mobile and Baldwin County students have spent the week of July 28 through July 31, 2014, exploring their top career choices at area hospitals and community health centers. The 11th annual event is led by the Bay Area Healthcare Coalition and the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce.

“Most Summer Scrubs participants have a pretty good idea about the career they want to pursue," said Carol Statter, with Infirmary Health System and chair of the Bay Area Healthcare Coalition. "Host sites, in return, make it possible for students to observe their work, helping them reinforce their decisions and exposing them to other career choices. That way, if they change their mind, it’s before they invest valuable time and money in post-secondary education.”

Statter says the initiative began to help the area avoid anticipated drastic industry shortages seen in other communities as the population ages. Students rotate locations each morning, learning about a range of fields and potential salaries. At the conclusion of this year’s initiative, nearly 1,600 students will have participated in the program since its inception.

 Students applied to participate in this behind-the-scene look into the industry and were selected on merit.

Source: Information for this post was provided by the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce.