On May 2, USC Verdugo Hills Hospital welcomed 46 students from Glendale Community College for its first Healthcare Day of Discovery dedicated to college students.
The event started with career panels and question-and-answer sessions led by professionals from a wide range of health care fields. In the afternoon, a circuit of activity stations gave the students a chance to try their hand at essential first aid and health care procedures.
The hands-on lessons included but were not limited to:
- How to conduct a vascular ultrasound
- Patient handling and mobility techniques, including the use of a mechanical lift in a physical therapy setting
- Narcan training
- Stroke education
USC-VHH Day of Discovery events have developed a successful track record among local high schools and their students, and the college event marked a meaningful expansion. In the effort to counter the health care industry’s national workforce shortage, exposing students to a wide range of possible career opportunities is crucial — especially for community college students who have to make time-sensitive decisions about the next steps in their education and career.
USC-VHH’s Day of Discovery also offers these students a chance to explore career paths in fields such as nursing, medical technology, IT and business administration to show there are many ways to make a difference in the health and wellbeing of their communities.
— Kate Faye