| Most
young adults do not experience their chosen profession until their latter
college years or even until they are on the job as college graduates.
Very few students have the opportunity to gain firsthand experience and
insight into their chosen profession, a valuable experience for youths
deciding on future careers. The founder of MedicalMentors.net saw the value
in exposing high schoolers to various occupations early in life, helping
to inspire them to continue in their chosen field or even determine that
it might not be the right profession for them. |
| The
idea for MedicalMentors.net's program came about through an idea based
on unique experience that Karen Fields, PA-C had during high school though
a program called
WINTERIM.
Winterim was offered during the month of January, allowing students to
take classes not offered during Fall and Spring semesters. Juniors
and Seniors had the opportunity to do three-week Internships with a professional
of their choice. |
| Karen
participated in the Internship program both her Junior and Senior years,
doing her internships with a local Orthopedic Surgeon,Marc
Asselmeier, M.D., of Naperville, IL. After college,
she went on to obtain her Master's degree as a Physician Assistant and
took a position in Orthopedic Surgery. She has been practicing in
the specialty since. Karen attributes her love of Medicine and Orthopedics
to her early exposure to the field and to a great physician mentor in Marc
Asselmeier. |
| In
July of 2006, Medical Mentors accepted its first 13 High School students
in Appleton Wisconsin into the program. These students were paired with
mentors in the profession of their choice and spent 12-40 hours job shadowing.
The students gave great reviews of the program and for most, it confirmed
their desire to go into a medical profession. |
| Currently,
the program is being offered in the summer as to not take students away
from their courses during the semester. The program was expanded
in 2007 to include all Appleton Public High Schools and accepted 45 students
into the program. In 2008 the program was expanded to include over 90 students
of Fox Valley private and public schools. |
|
Currently Medical
Mentors is expanding its focus and services to other Wisconsin communities
and other states. For more information please contact:
Karen Fields, PA-C
KarenFields@MedicalMentors.net
(920) 540-5177
|
