For many students, choosing a career can feel overwhelming. For Abigail Johnson, the journey toward medicine started early and has only grown stronger through educational opportunities focused on careers in medicine at WellSpan Health. 

Abigail's participation has been fueled by one goal: to gain hands on experience. Raised by parents in the medical field, she has spent countless hours researching specialties online, going back and forth from dermatology to cardiothoracic surgery before finding a passion for anesthesiology. While online resources can provide valuable information about different careers, nothing compares to firsthand experience. That's why the free WellSpan Health Careers Youth Summit gives students a unique opportunity to explore a wide range of health care careers up close and in person.  

Hands-on learning and real-world technology 

The inaugural WellSpan Health Careers Youth Summit bridges the gap between classroom questions and real-world clinical medicine through a life-like experience hosted on the York College of Pennsylvania campus. Participants are organized into age groups and rotated through interactive, high-energy stations led by practicing health care leaders, giving them exposure to clinical, technical and support roles that help power patient care. 

Students dive directly into clinical skills and gain hands-on experience using advanced technology. Participants may operate the da Vinci surgical robot to complete precision challenges, practice hands-on patient intubation alongside experienced professionals, and perform real-time ultrasounds to compare live anatomy with textbook diagrams. Between stations, students engage in quick, high-value questions and answer moments with WellSpan clinicians, getting immediate answers about daily routines, specialties and training paths. 

Representation and real motivation 

Beyond technical skills, the WellSpan Health Careers Youth Summit will provide essential mentorship and representation. Participants will hear directly from diverse panels of physicians, including sessions that help the student realize that a career in medicine is within reach. 

"One moment that helped me realize medicine was the right path, and an achievable one, was seeing people who looked like me already working in the field. Seeing women represented in medicine made my goal feel possible," said Abigail Johnson. 

This event will offer students the opportunity to connect with physicians about their own educational and career journeys — reinforcing that you don’t need every detail of your future mapped out today to start taking meaningful steps forward. 

Why every student should attend 

When asked what advice she would give to peers who might be nervous or hesitant about attending, her response was straightforward: just go. 

For Abigail, one of the best parts of previous WellSpan educational events was using the da Vinci robot. She sat at the controls and used the robot’s arms to remove candy wrappers. “It was fun,” said Abigail. “But it also took focus and steady hands.” The activity showed Abigail how doctors use technology to help patients. It made her dream of working in medicine feel more real. 

The next WellSpan Health Careers Youth Summit is Oct. 24, 2026, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at York College of Pennsylvania, 441 Country Club Road in York. Students can take part in hands-on activity stations and meet WellSpan professionals. Parents also can attend sessions to learn about college admissions, education and career paths and ways to talk with their child about the future. The parent sessions include a take-home workbook, group talks, a quiz-style game and tips from the York College admissions office. 

To learn more about WellSpan Health Careers Youth Summit and register for your spot visit wellspan.org.