Austin, Texas - (February 1, 2008) - One day before
the groundhog weighs in on winter, Central Texas middle and
high school students check to see if their shadows are a fit
for healthcare careers with the Seton Family of Hospitals.
The second annual Groundhog Job Shadow Day is sponsored by
Communities in Schools, a non-profit organization dedicated to
working with children at risk of dropping out of school
primarily because of non-academic barriers.
Sixty students visited the University Medical Center at
Brackenridge, Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas,
Seton Medical Center Austin and Seton Northwest Hospital. They
toured various areas, including the emergency departments,
surgery, imaging and the Clinical Education Center at
Brackenridge.
"Seton Family of Hospitals is pleased to partner with community
organizations like CIS and the Austin-area schools in
activities like Groundhog Shadowing Day," said Mel Greene,
Director or Diversity, Seton Family of Hospitals. "By inviting
students into our hospitals and allowing them to see firsthand
the care delivered by our associates, we believe that we are
inspiring the next generation of healthcare
professional."
Participation in Groundhog Job Shadow Day as already paid off or one former CIS student who met a male nurse during his tour at Brackenridge last year. Today Jeremie Preston is pursuing a career in nursing through Austin Community College and is currently working as a transporter in the emergency department at the University Medical Center at Brackenridge.
"This is a great learning experience," said Preston. "As a transporter I transfer patients to different areas of the hospital and I get to see how the different departments operate and this gives me a chance to decide area I may like to work in the future."
This is the second year Seton Family of Hospitals has participated in Groundhog Shadowing Day and the number of students interested in healthcare is continuing to grow.