TYRONE – Local students were given the chance to visit Tyrone Hospital and learn about career opportunities in the health care industry.
This tour and many others like it were sponsored by the Southern Alleghenies Workforce Investment Board in recognition of the annual Health Care Careers Week from Oct. 29 through Nov. 2.
In the Southern Alleghenies, more than 35,000 individuals are employed in the health care field, one of the region’s largest and growing industries. During Health Care Careers Week, young people learn about some of the many careers available in health care and the education needed to secure these positions.
The Youth Programs Department of PA CareerLink® – Blair County coordinated student tours at local health care facilities. In Blair County, Tyrone Hospital is one of the facilities students can visit.
Tyrone Hospital has participated in this special program for the past several years, hosting student tours and providing many students with the opportunity to visit the various departments and talk with health care professionals about their duties, educational background and career progression. This year, 14 students from the Tyrone Area High School visited Tyrone Hospital.
These students have indicated to their teachers and or guidance counselors that they plan on pursuing a career in the health care field. Students had a tour of the hospital and heard several short presentations from health care professionals representing both clinical and non-clinical career areas in the health care industry.
Career areas students learned about nursing, radiology, laboratory, cardiopulmonary, health information management including medical coding, medical billing and information technology. Students spent approximately two hours at the Tyrone Hospital, which gave them a greater insight into the many possibilities available to them in the health care industry.