Students will again have the opportunity this summer to participate in the AHEC of a Summer program offered at Lane Regional Medical Center.

The program will be a collaboration of Central Louisiana Area Health Education Center (CLAHEC), Lane RMC, City of Baker School System and the Zachary Community School System.

Those students chosen to participate will spend five weeks observing health care professionals in action. Participants rotate through different departments in local hospitals and medical facilities as well as attend workshops and field trips to gain insight into the varied occupations available in healthcare.

The A-HEC of a Summer program will give students a chance to explore health career opportunities through observation and hands-on experience as hospital volunteers. The student participants will observe the “team approach” in a rural medical facility, which encompasses health issues, patient care, job readiness skills, volunteer service and post-secondary education requirements for health careers.

Upon successful completion of the program, participants will receive 1/2 high school elective credit. The application deadline is Friday, Mar. 1.

Students must currently be in the, 9th, 10th or 11th grade, have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher and be interested in pursuing a health career to be eligible to apply for the program.

Applications and program information are currently available at local high schools in the Guidance Counselor’s office, or they may be downloaded at www.clahec.org.

More information about the program may also be found on the website, or call the Baton Rouge CLAHEC office at 225-757-9845.

Nan Ewing, program coordinator for the CLAHEC programs, stated that “this program is an excellent tool for students to learn firsthand about many different healthcare fields.”