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Students of Mt. Mercy Academy and Bishop Timon-St. Jude High School

Through a partnership with Catholic Health, students of Mt. Mercy Academy and Bishop Timon-St. Jude High School have the opportunity to explore careers in healthcare and gain hands-on experience before they graduate.

Learning opportunities are available to students based on grade level and career interest. Observation programs are open to students of all grades, while opportunities to gain hands-on experience are generally reserved for upper-level students.

How to Enroll

To participate, please contact your school representative:

• Mt. Mercy Academy – Teresa Melonson, tmelonson@mtmercy.org
• Bishop Timon-St. Jude High School – Thomas J. Sullivan, Principal, sullivan@bishoptimon.com

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News

• Mount Mercy Academy, in Partnership with Catholic Health, Sponsors Dress-down Day to Benefit Mercy Flight – February 1, 2013

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Tours for AP Biology and Anatomy and Physiology Classes

Grade Level: Freshmen and Seniors

Mt. Mercy Academy students enrolled in AP Biology and Anatomy and Physiology classes will tour Mercy Hospital. Students will visit the following departments:

• Emergency
• Maternity / Pediatrics
• Medical / Surgical Nursing
• Pathology (gross anatomy)
• Physical/occupational therapy
• Pre and Post Surgery
• Radiology
• Respiratory Therapy

If you would like more information about class tours, please contact Teresa Melonson at tmelonson@mtmercy.org.

During a tour of the laboratory at Mercy Hospital, Jason Sewell shows Mt. Mercy Academy students a freshly sectioned tissue block to demonstrate the slide-making process.

Healthcare Career Club

Grade Level: Freshmen and Sophmores

The Healthcare Career Club meets four times each year and allows freshmen and sophmore students to observe careers in healthcare facilities throughout Western New York. The club offers a combination of community field trips, career presentations and MASH camps, which bring students to a Catholic Health hospital for a behind-the-scenes look at various healthcare careers.

This year's activities are as follows:

• Presentation of iSciWNY program
• Field trip to Mercy Flight Center (Read about an October field trip to Mercy Flight Center)
• Tour of University of Buffalo Medical Campus
• MASH Camps at Mercy Hospital

Christian Service Opportunities

Grade Level: Sophmores, Juniors and Seniors

Students volunteer in various departments of Mercy Hospital such as maternity, emergency, spiritual care and other areas.

Through this service, students network with professionals in their chosen career field and may discover opportunities for internships or summer employment. 

In order to be considered for service, students must be 16 (or turning 16 during the school year). They may begin volunteering at any time throughout the year. The length of commitment varies.

Students interested in participating will interview with hospital’s Director of Volunteer Services, who will determine placement. Placement depends on area of the interest and availability.

MASH Camp

Grade Level: Juniors and Seniors

MASH Camps bring students to a Catholic Health hospital for a behind-the-scenes look at healthcare careers. This unique educational opportunity is designed to increase students’ awareness about the many job opportunities that exist in area hospitals.

Students participate in hands-on activities and tour several hospital departments to see staff in action and find out if a career in healthcare might be right for them.

  

Mt. Mercy Academy students toured Mercy Hospital during MASH Camp. The students scrubbed in (left) before entering the laboratory.

Mission on the Move

Grade Level: Juniors and Seniors

Mission on the Move is Catholic Health's mobile health program providing health screenings and wellness education services to all people in our communities, especially those who are under-served.

Students may attend and participate in select Mission on the Move events, education workshops and health screenings, where they will interact with the public and get a first-hand look at community healthcare.

Depending on the activity, students may:

• Gain marketing and community education experience through interaction with the community
• Assist in the facilitation of community education programs
• Provide administrative assistance and distribute marketing materials
• Network with nurses and Mission on the Move staff and learn about careers in healthcare

Students must provide their own transportation to and from the site.

Shadowing Rotations

Grade Level: Juniors

During shadowing rotations, students get a first-hand look at their desired career by shadowing a Catholic Health employee during his or her workday.

Each student will have the opportunity to visit 8 departments at Mercy Hospital of Buffalo:

• Emergency
• Maternity / Pediatrics
• Medical / Surgical Nursing
• Pathology (gross anatomy)
• Physical/occupational therapy
• Pre and Post Surgery
• Radiology
• Respiratory Therapy

Department personnel will serve as mentors as they go about their jobs and will provide explanations of how they perform their roles and why. Mentors will guide students in seeing, understanding and appreciating their tasks in the context of the hospital. Each of the 8 mentors works with an individual student each week, rotating 8 times until each area is experienced.

Mt. Mercy Academy students who participated in a shadowing rotation on November 9 (left to right): Bryanna McKinnon, Heather Buck, Cara Barnes, Emily Diaz, Kelly Hess, Colleeen Garvin, Janelle Lauciello, Jessica Krieger

Internships

Grade Level: Seniors

Both clinical and non-clinical internships are available (HR, Accounting, Marketing, Business, IT, ect.) for school credit. Internships may run for a semester or more, according to individual planning.

Catholic Health's department personnel will mentor students. They will set goals for the internship in conjunction with the intern and supervise activities at the internship site. Mentors will also provide feedback regarding the student's performance, both in conversation with the student and with the teacher in charge of the internship program at school.

One half unit of credit will be granted for successful completion of the internship program. Completion of the program requires:

• 50 hours of non-paid work at an approved site
• A letter from the internship supervisor indicating hours worked and duties completed
• A detailed participation log
• A two page report on two colleges that offer related majors
• A two page reflection paper on the experience
• A post-internship interview

To apply for an internship, students must be in good academic standing.