When Loudoun County, Virginia, senior Katie Hudson first saw information about a program allowing students to shadow local doctors online, she considered it the perfect opportunity to confirm her interest in pursuing a career in medicine.
After discussing it with her parents, she signed up. Now, she’s one of some 70 Loudoun County high school juniors and seniors to shadow doctors, therapists, chaplains and other workers at Inova Loudoun Hospital in Leesburg this week.
During the school day, which counts as an excused absence, students have the chance to watch doctors interact with patients, explore the intensive care unit and ask questions.
This year, the Job for a Day program at the hospital filled up particularly quickly. Adele Tierney, manager of program administration, said this year’s slots filled up on the first day in just 22 minutes, which she likened to the high demand when “buying concert tickets.”
“I never would have thought that I could be in a hospital setting like this and not really have a degree or anything like that,” Hudson said.
The program with Inova Loudoun has been offered for more than 20 years. The School-Business Partnership’s Job for a Day program lets juniors and seniors explore various career paths.
Grant Schafer, the school system’s supervisor of Community Connections, said the opportunity at Inova Loudoun exposes students to unique career paths.
“They have such a variety of jobs in the hospital that are so eye-opening to students who would not think that things like supply chain management would be something that makes this hospital run,” Schafer said.
Students, some of whom wore scrubs Wednesday, connected with people from various backgrounds, including surgeons, labor and delivery, chaplaincy, radiology and physical therapy, among others.
Hudson said she spent some time in the neonatal intensive care unit, even watching as a baby was intubated. She described that as an emotional experience, recalling that she had to step out of the room for a moment.
Another student, meanwhile, shadowed the hospital’s chaplain.
“I didn’t realize how important it was to have a chaplain in the hospital until today,” the student said. “Not only the medical part is important, but what she does, and the human connection is important, too.”
One student, according to ICU Clinical Director Kristelle Toone, asked about patients’ cardiac health because he’s an aspiring cardiologist.
“(The program is) going to possibly recruit our future health care generation and in an honest way, not something that is made up on TV. It’s real life,” Toone said.
It’s also having a lasting impact.
“Just yesterday, a girl said she’d love to be a labor and delivery nurse. And yesterday, she said it was one of the best days of her life, she’ll never forget,” Tierney said.
