Southern NH Health is thrilled to announce the successful launch of our inaugural "Beyond the Stethoscope" program, an innovative initiative designed to ignite curiosity and inspire future generations of diverse leaders by introducing promising young adults to career pathways within our healthcare system. This summer, students from seven local high schools have come together to embark on a journey that combines educational content, hands-on experiences, and opportunities to meet various healthcare professionals.
A Summer of Learning and Exploration
The "Beyond the Stethoscope" program is a comprehensive six-week program designed to provide students with a global view of the role in a healthcare system. Each week, participants engage in sessions filled with education, discussions, and real-world experiences. Here's a closer look at what the program entails:
Week 1: Consequential Fundamentals
Students begin their journey by getting to know the program, the organization, and their peers. They also have the chance to engage in discussions and activities with our human resources team, focused on professionalism, first impressions, interviewing, networking, and resume building.
Week 2: Meet Our Leadership, Emergency, Trauma & Operating Personnel
Students have the unique opportunity to hear the career journeys of our senior leaders and ask insightful questions. Later, they experience tours and training with leaders from our emergency department, trauma program, operating room, and emergency management, offering a firsthand look at the critical roles these teams play.
Week 3: Clinical Pathways
Leaders from patient care services and ambulatory clinical services share their expertise, highlighting the broad range of clinical pathways available. Then, participants are invited to one-on-one observation hours with nurses in various inpatient settings, providing students with a close-up view of patient care.
Week 4: Clinical Support Services Pathways
Students engage in lively conversations with leaders from radiology, rehab, pharmacy, respiratory therapy, and lab teams, complemented by tours and engaging activities in each specialty.
Week 5: Operations Pathways
From finance to security, engineering, IT, and food and environmental services, students learn about the essential operational roles that keep our health system running smoothly. Guided tours of the kitchen, boiler room, and other operational areas provide an insider's look at the inner workings of our health system.
Week 6: Resources + Reflections
Presentations from Granite Edvance equipped students with resources to prepare them for their college application process and outlined financial resources available to them. Students also engage in meaningful conversations with the manager of volunteer services and director of workforce development. The program concludes with students reflecting on their key takeaways, presenting posters to their peers, and celebrating their accomplishments with a graduation ceremony.
Looking Ahead
We are excited to announce that registration for next year's program will open in early spring. We encourage students from all backgrounds and interests to join us and explore the diverse career pathways within our health system.
Director of Workforce Development, Viktoriya Dribinskaya says, “This program is a unique opportunity for students to get fully immersed within our health system. They meet leaders who provide insight into their roles and how they chose their career path. It is inspiring to watch the students transform and become comfortable asking questions of the leaders they meet and to share in their excitement about these experiences. I am excited to offer this opportunity to more students in the future.”
Stay tuned for more information on how to apply and become part of this transformative journey. Together, we can inspire the next generation of healthcare leaders and continue to make a positive impact on our community. For more information, contact Viktoriya Dribinskaya at viktoriya.dribins@snhhs.org or Kameo LeLievre at Kameo.LeLievre@snhhs.org.