Student offered taste of healthcare careers

(CNS Business): Health City Cayman Islands (HCCI) is providing Year 12 students from the Cayman Islands Further Education Centre (CIFEC) a year long internship programme, as well as offering Year 9 and 10 students from government and private high schools week-long internships over the  next seven months. HCCI says that approximately 150 students will benefit from the opportunity to learn more about careers within Cayman’s healthcare industry.

Richard Parchment, HCCI Business Development & Government Liaison, who is heading the programme, said students from CIFEC will gain tremendous insight into the workings of the hospital.

“We will have 19 students per week, all enjoying first hand introductions into the various departments within the hospital, giving them a broad experience that they will hopefully enjoy and want to investigate further as far as their career choices are concerned,” he said. “Students will begin their intern practice working in such departments as Cardio Thoracic, Laboratory, ICU/Anesthesia, Orthopaedic, Nursing, Administration, Maintenance, Front Office and Marketing.”

Parchment said that over the next few months around 40 students from the public and private schools will take part in the week-long internship. “Teachers will choose which students are appropriate for participating and the criteria for being included will be those students who show a particular aptitude for maths and sciences and who are looking to advance their studies in these fields,” he exlained.

HCCI Director Gene Thompson said the opportunity was really important for young Caymanians looking to work in the medical field.

“Our interns will enjoy a hands-on experience at Health City,” he said. “The day will begin with an early morning session to discuss the previous day and there will be two lectures daily from various departments. This is a tremendous chance for young people to really immerse themselves in the workings of a highly professional healthcare organisation. Because they will be exposed to so many different facets of the medical field, we are confident the experience will stimulate a great deal of interest for future careers at Health City Cayman Islands.”

Education Ministry Councillor Winston Connolly visited Health City recently to speak with the students and welcome them to the internship programme.

“Mr Connolly said he wished he had had the opportunity when he was young to enjoy a similar experience, as we stared into either banking or tourism,” Thompson said. “He acknowledged that our internships were a unique and special offer for the students and encouraged them to choose healthcare as a profession for Caymanians.”

The youth internship programme is one of the key initiatives identified during the launch of Health City Cayman Islands project, and will complement the development of medical research university planned in future phases over the next decade.

Tags: Health City Cayman Islands

Category: Healthcare, Local Business