High school students considering futures in STEM careers set campus abuzz on Friday during ACPHS’ inaugural Future of Healthcare Workshop, a daylong event.
About 150 exceptional students from nearly 45 public and private high schools, who were recommended by their school administrators, attended the event. They participated in academic sessions with faculty from programs including pharmacy, microbiology and clinical laboratory sciences. They gowned up for hands-on lab experiences and learned about careers at St. Peter’s Health Partners. They also got tips from Grace Higgins, assistant director of admissions, on what to consider when choosing a college, including not only academic programs but student life, costs and financial aid.
Thomas Lombardi, system director of pharmacy for St. Peter’s, presented a list of 100 different jobs a pharmacist could do, in areas like ambulatory care, long-term care and informatics. Tenth grader E.J. Verhoff of Albany High School, who has been focused on pursuing pediatric medicine, said he was surprised and intrigued by all the options outside of a retail pharmacy.
At the end of their day, high school students were talking about different aspects of the event. Evie Fanion of Albany Academy, who is interested in psychology or psychiatry, appreciated the interaction with faculty members and was happy to hear that ACPHS would offer psychology programs next fall. Classmates Joyce Akhelumele liked making bacteria glow in the lab, and her classmate Gabriella Khan enjoyed identifying a parasite. “That was really cool,” Akhelumele agreed.
Linda King, the college coordinator at LaSalle Institute in Troy, said the event was “a thousand percent” valuable, as it showed students possibilities for their futures.
“It gives them that awareness beyond their classroom toward knowing what’s available to them,” King said.
Several students in attendance said they would recommend the workshop to classmates, should ACPHS host it again.
“For people who aren’t feeling decided, this is a great opportunity,” Verhoff said.
Admissions Director Wendy Diefendorf praised Higgins and Assistant Director of Admissions Daria Czaplicki for making this first-time event a success.
“They were focused, driven, and have provided exceptional customer service to the individuals submitting nominations, the nominated students and all parents,” Diefendorf said.