ExTEnDED LEArning OPTiOns
PerfectYour
Get experience in
HEALTH SCIENCE
through extended learning. Skills
K
erry Into wants to be a doctor. With
the experiences the 17-year-old
received while attending Harlingen
High School, she knows she can handle
all aspects of the profession.
As part of her health science courses, takes place in a healthcare environment” opportunities for extended learning include
Into worked in a family medical practice. before starting a job or spending time and career and technical student organizations
She remembers the day she held the hand money on college courses, recommends (CTSOs), job shadowing, internships,
of a patient who was having a medical Donnelly. part-time work, volunteering, and travel
procedure. “It amazed me that I was able to programs.
watch the whole thing without squirming,” Educational Experiences
says Into. “It let me know that I can accept Donnelly is talking about extended Career Organizations
challenging situations.” learning—educational experiences that The CTSO recommended for students
It’s fairly common for a student to think occur outside the classroom. interested in health science is Health
they want to work in health science “up until In addition to helping students decide if Occupations Students of America (HOSA).
the time they see their first blood taking,” this career is for them, extended learning “Through HOSA, students are exposed
says Mickey Donnelly, director of employee gives students an advantage when they apply to volunteer work such as blood drives and
development at the University of Texas M.D. for college. raising money to combat diseases,” says
Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. “There are many people who are book Gladys Doyno, health science department
“Not everyone can deal with some of the smart but they can’t apply their knowledge. chair at Weslaco High School. Students can
things we see daily,” he says. Because students have had these experiences demonstrate their knowledge and skills in
“Find a way to get in high school, it’s a demonstration they can regional, state, and national competitions
exposure to what do both,” says Barbara Heater, principal (see “Hands on Health” at right).
at the South Texas High School for
Health Professions in Mercedes (see On the Job
“Med High” on page 13). Getting experience through job shadowing
Students get exposure through is another option for extended learning.
clinical rotations set up by their A student follows a professional in the
schools, as Into did. Other workplace for one day to see firsthand what
In Texas, 7,319 pHYsIcIans specIalIze In
InTernal medIcIne,
THe mosT popular specIalTY among
THe sTaTe’s medIcal docTors.
Page 14
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