High school students in Prince Rupert have an exciting opportunity to explore healthcare careers before they graduate.
Through the Introduction to Health Practices Program at Coast Mountain College (CMTN), students can gain hands-on experience, hear from industry experts and learn about various career paths in the healthcare field.
鈥淭his way, young people are better informed about what to pursue based on their interests and strengths,鈥� said Lucy Stanford, interim marketing and communications manager at CMTN.
Local healthcare professionals play a key role in the program, offering practical insights into working in different healthcare settings. Guest presenters, including dieticians, nurse practitioners, and paramedics, contribute to the hands-on learning experience.
Beyond these local insights, students will be introduced to opportunities from institutions such as the UBC Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
The program also includes mentorship opportunities, such as the Rural eMentoring BC initiative, which connects students with healthcare practitioners or advanced students in post-secondary education. Through these connections, students can ask questions and gain a clearer idea of what it鈥檚 like to pursue a healthcare career.
Further enhancing the learning experience, students in the program use simulation tools like Virtu-WIL, which presents them with authentic healthcare-related scenarios to think through and propose solutions. In these simulations, students get valuable feedback on their decision-making processes, deepening their understanding of real-world clinical situations.
In September 2024, the program welcomed around 20 students from Charles Hayes Secondary in Prince Rupert, Smithers Secondary, and Houston Secondary. While students in Smithers and Houston already used this opportunity in previous years, it was a first for the ones in Rupert.
Learners earned both high school elective credits and in some cases, post-secondary credits. In Prince Rupert, students took full advantage of the dual-credit option, completing 45 hours of instructor-led classwork and earning three university credits that can be applied towards programs in the Arts or Sciences.
Scholars who recently completed the first round of the Introduction to Health Practices Program at Coast Mountain College provided anonymous feedback on their most memorable parts of the course.
Many mentioned the hands-on activities, such as 鈥淲hen we got to put needles into oranges and learn about 鈥榳hat people in ambulances do.鈥欌�� Others highlighted experiences like 鈥済oing to the hospital and learning about the different jobs through a hospital walkthrough鈥� or 鈥渉aving a race to put on PPE (personal protective equipment).鈥�
A few students appreciated the interactive nature of the presentations, like the dietician鈥檚 session, which they found 鈥渇un and memorable,鈥� and the pharmacist鈥檚 presentation. The opportunity to 鈥渕eet new people every day鈥� was another common theme, with students also noting the value of learning about Indigenous health. As one student put it, 鈥淚t allowed me to have backup career options,鈥� underscoring the broadening of the course鈥檚 horizons.
To respond to the healthcare needs throughout the region, CMTN also partners with the Northern Health Authority and the University of Northern British Columbia to offer accredited college and university programs.
These partners also co-host a three-day interactive experience in May, , that is led by Rotary and available to select regional students in grades ten and eleven.
Some participants were just happy to know how to use an epi-pen in case someone around them had an allergic reaction, while others became more certain about pursuing a full-fledged career in the field.
The success of the first round of this course has allowed it to be renewed this year for both Rupert and Smithers school districts. It will continue creating opportunities for more individuals to develop an interest in the healthcare field.
