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Kylie Walgrave working in the basic science cancer research lab of Ming Ying Tsai, Ph.D. |
“It was amazing,” the 18-year-old high school senior said.
Walgrave is one of 17 high school students participating in the health careers shadowing program sponsored by the Omaha Public Schools Career Center, the Omaha Urban Area Health Education Center (OU-AHEC) and UNMC International Health.
Walgrave is in her second year with the program, as part of her first year she completed a 77-hour certified nursing assistant certification course.
All of the students are interested in pursuing careers in the health profession.
“The OPS Career Center program is the perfect fit for us,” said Dell Gines, OU-AHEC director. “The Omaha Urban AHEC is a federally funded program whose goal is to encourage minority and disadvantaged students to enter careers in the health professions.”
Walgrave has been shadowing health professionals at UNMC since Sept. 4 when the program started. She has seen open heart surgery, an ultrasound and pediatric dentistry.
“You see jobs that aren’t talked about much, like the clinical perfusionist I shadowed. You really get to see what happens behind the scenes,” Walgrave said.
The students spend 90 minutes on campus every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon and three weeks shadowing one health career before moving on to another.
All of the students are trained in HIPPA compliance, safety issues and on bloodborne pathogens before beginning their rotations.
The program will run through May 9.
Walgrave said her interest in a health career stems from her aunt, who is an occupational therapist for her best friend, who is deaf.
“I’ve always been drawn to helping people, especially those with special needs,” she said.
Walgrave said she is impressed with how people with physical or developmental challenges overcome adversity.
Such as the little boy who lives in her neighborhood, who Walgrave said she has grown attached to.
“He’s amazing. He taught himself sign language,” she said. “I’ve learned more from people like him than anyone else.”
Walgrave said she was initially interested in becoming a speech pathologist, but said she is keeping her options open because of what she’s seen so far in the program.
“I would like to learn more about what it is like to be a physician assistant, as well as job shadow some of the health care professionals working in the Munroe-Meyer Institute,” she said.