Teaching the Next Generation: Staying Ahead of the Growing Need
At WellSpan, teaching the next generation allows us to stay ahead of the growing needs of the communities in which we serve. The overall health of our neighbors requires us to identify problems and plan for any changes that may arise. Hiring and retaining subject-matter experts and team members is of the utmost importance in supporting those needs. Across our service areas, our healthcare education programs have been hands-on with community needs and initiatives.
WellSpan continues to push through barriers amidst a pandemic in many areas to develop our future workforce and support patient services through:
- Continued commitment to student experiences despite a pandemic: WellSpan Health implemented student guidelines at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to safely allow for rather than pause critical talent pipeline development.
- Continued Project Search program in York and Adams counties; providing valuable job skills internship experiences to 11 students who performed work in the following areas that support patient services.
- Provided new innovative virtual learning for students in the following programs: YCAL Respiratory Care Program and WellSpan Summit’s Health Career Institute.
- Provided unpaid internship experiences to 401 interns totaling 86,103 hours.
- Placed 12 advanced practice provider student clinical rotations. Forty-three of the formerly placed students were hired.
- Nursing Leadership Academy resulted in four graduates receiving promotions to higher levels of leadership.
- More than 86 medical assistant externs have been placed across York, Adams, Lancaster and Lebanon counties, with more than 18 hires.
Education Initiatives
Medical Residency Programs
Across eight specialty programs, 176 residents are completing their formal graduate medical education with WellSpan Health.
Fellowship Programs
Across five disciplines, eight physicians are completing their specialty training in a WellSpan Fellowship program.
Undergraduate Medical Education
In their third year of medical school, 40 students were exposed to clinical medicine for the first time in WellSpan rotations. Twenty Drexel University students spend their entire third year at WellSpan York Hospital.
Unpaid Internship Experiences
401 interns logged 86,103 hours of experiential training
Student Clinical Rotations
Placed 12 advanced practice providers in clinical rotations.
Nursing Leadership Academy
Four academy graduates were promoted to leadership positions
Medical Assistant Externships
More than 86 externs were placed across the region with more than 18 hires.
Project Search
Eleven students completed the program in 2021. Since 2010, 78 percent of 117 student interns are gainfully employed.
York County Alliance for Learning & School of Respiratory Care
More than 15 high school students participated in live webinars, where they were introduced to the respiratory therapy field.
Health Care Institute
In the virtual format, 26 students from Franklin County participated in this state-award winning, intense healthcare career exploration program.
WellSpan Chambersburg Hospital Medical School Scholarship
With 27 students currently in the program, five graduated from medical school with one scholarship recipients completing his residency and starting as a provider at a WellSpan family medicine practice.
