Oberlin High School students had the chance of a lifetime March 9 as they met with recruiters from Mercy Health – Allen Hospital in Oberlin to discuss the potential of entering the medical field.
Carrie Jankowski, president of Mercy Health – Allen Hospital, said the medical center wanted to expose the students to the health field.
“The opportunity for this has been in the talks for about a year now,” Jankowski said. “We have met with students from local colleges in the past, but we wanted to look at high school juniors and seniors so as to be able to offer them a direct access to that pipeline for the field.”
Six students from Oberlin High met with recruiters as they were led through interviews discussing the process of getting into the medical field as well as what to expect upon getting hired.
Student Kevyn Steen said he feels delighted to have had the opportunity to talk to the hospital officials.
“I like to help people, but I was also stuck between the health and teaching field,” said Kevyn, a senior. “After these interviews, I was able to learn that those two fields can actually go together, and it was great to get an idea of what is in store for me should I enter the field.”
Kevyn, also an athlete, said he always knew that physical education was one of his first choices and even takes sports medicine classes at Lorain County JVS in addition to attending high school.
He said he’s currently looking at the possibility of getting a position as a hospital transporter to help him get a better lay of the building and what goes on in it.
“The students we have met with today are very engaged and excited to learn of these opportunities that await them,” said Arisha Williams, talent acquisition manager for Mercy Health. “I was surprised at first with their engagement as high school students but I am glad to see the enthusiasm.”
Mercy Health – Allen Hospital nursing director Jeff Moomaw agrees.
“I think it is really important that we see this interest at their young age,” Moomaw said. “The COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on the nursing industry, and it has been difficult to fill those vacancies.
“But these students are ready to rise to the occasion.”
For the other recruiters like Linda Snyder and Jacob Jancsura, they said the need to help the community is shared with the students.
“Meetings like these give the kids more of a push to go to college and pursue a health care degree as well as give back,” Snyder said. “Recruiting is not easy, especially post COVID, but the interest these kids have and the questions they asked during the interviews shows they are ready.”
The students who interviewed March 9, if chosen, will go on to continue to learn more about the medical field, including which classes are necessary for them to take as well as will be offered positions within the hospital to get their footing, officials said.
Follow-up interviews and information is expected for the students March 14.
