Students learn about healthcare careers as part of Baptist Health's 100 Days of Service
Louisville, KY (Nov. 19, 2024) - More than 100 students got a taste of what a healthcare career is all about during career camps and pre-med academies at Baptist Health hospitals. The camps were part of the health system’s 100 Days of Service centennial celebration for June.
“The goal is to open their eyes to the possibility of working in a healthcare setting one day – whether it’s a hospital, physician office or outpatient center,” said Angie Mannino, chief people and culture officer. “We saw many experiencing ‘aha moments’ as they got a hands-on look at what a healthcare career can include.
“There are many job opportunities in healthcare, and it will continue to be a growing field in the future as our population ages. These are good-paying jobs which also offer great personal rewards as you help others feel better.”
The camp (and academy) learning opportunities illustrate Baptist Health’s continuing efforts to train and recruit personnel. Currently, the health system has strong ties with several collegiate programs to support their education efforts and offer hands-on experience to their students.
Some Baptist Health hospitals offer certified nursing assistant training or medical assistant training to employees and the public. Baptist Health Louisville has graduated its first class of English as a Second Language learners to assist current employees in departments such as Environmental Services and Food and Nutrition Services.
The camps and academies are designed to help strengthen access to care by growing the workforce. Access to care is a community health need identified by Baptist Health Hardin, Baptist Health Paducah and Baptist Health Deaconess Madisonville.
Baptist Health has a strong legacy of education. Two years before the original Kentucky Baptist Hospital opened in 1924, the trustees sowed the seeds for its nursing school by sending the first students to Missouri so they’d get a jump on their studies. The school graduated more than 2,200 nurses before closing in 1983. Kentucky Baptist Hospital later became Baptist Health Louisville.
Baptist Health Paducah, then known as Western Baptist Hospital, launched a school for licensed practical nurses in 1961. The 12-month program was offered for about a decade.
In 2024, Baptist Health celebrates its 100th anniversary, and will mark each month with a health-related “gift” to its communities.
The original Kentucky Baptist Hospital in Louisville opened its doors in November 1924 following years of rallying community support and fundraising. Baptist Health has since expanded to nine hospitals and more than 2,700 licensed beds, reaching nearly 75 percent of Kentucky residents and a wide swath of southern Indiana.