« All NewsLMC Welcomes High School Students for Partners Program
Posted by: Jennifer Wilson, Public Relations Manager | June 15, 2011
West Columbia, S.C. – Beginning this week, Lexington Medical Center is openings its doors to some of the brightest high school students in Lexington County for an intensive summer internship inside the hospital called the Partners Program. In its 21st year, the Partners Program has become a popular tradition at the hospital.
“The goal is to give students an inside look at what they can expect in a health care career,” said Kelli Bennett, Workforce Coordinator at Lexington Medical Center, who conducts the Partners Program. “It’s a glimpse into our world.”
The students will focus on clinical training around the hospital and assist health care workers in areas including checking blood pressure, taking temperatures and feeding patients. In addition, they will tour hospital departments and attend classes where health professionals will speak with them about careers in medicine.
Approximately 200 students applied for this summer’s program. Sixty were selected to participate after an extensive process including a written application and interview with a panel of hospital staff members. Lexington Medical Center will award a $1,000 book scholarship to one rising senior from each Lexington County High School, home school and private school, for a total of 13 scholarships.
The Partners Program is divided into two, three-week sessions: June 13th – July 1st and July 11th – July 29th. Many of the students in the Partners Program go on to work in the health care field as physicians, nurses and other clinicians. In fact, some have returned to work at Lexington Medical Center after earning their degrees.
Participants this year are from Airport High School –Taylor Burkett and April Chaffin; from Batesburg-Leesville High School – Rebecca Caughman and Caroline Rivers; from Brookland Cayce High School – Haley Lewter, Ashleigh Nettles and Chasmine Smith; from Chapin High School – Michael Bagley, Jennifer Barnes, Chloe Beesburg, Shawna Blankenship, Duncan Brown, Alexandra Eno, Allison Johnson, Christine Mulcahy and Hayden Schelble; from Dutch Fork High School – Mollie Bowen, Ivana Chen, Eboni Copeland, Kashema Gamble, Jennifer Iacono, Supriya Juneja, Shawn Patel and Ashley Ranta; from Gilbert High School -- Alexis Kalec; from Irmo High School – Cameron Armistead, Shanique Cooper, Amy Dherckers, Madelyn Guyton, Andrea Johnson, Mary Kate Korpita, Pooja Malhotra, Gabrielle Mandi, Kelsey Murrell, Katherine Owen, Sarah Sams, Brittni Sparks and Santiago Teran; from Lexington High School – Arjun Aggarwal, Megan Cain, Deven Champaneri, Ashini Desai, Ashlyn Harrington, Ian Langford, Lindsey Mabe, Megan Moore, Allison Sims, Alaina Sumner, Danielle Thibault and Charmaigne Timmons; from Pelion High School – Kimberly Fralix and Ashley Sharpe; from Swansea High School – Nicholas Brazell, Hannah Santos and Michaela Waugh; from White Knoll High School – Emille Boggs; and Homeschool student Hannah Ott.
Lexington Medical Center, in West Columbia, S.C., anchors a county-wide health care network that includes six community medical centers throughout Lexington County and employs a staff of 5,200 health care professionals. The network also includes the largest extended care facility in the Carolinas, two occupational health centers and more than 40 physician practices. At its heart is the 414-bed state-of-the-art Lexington Medical Center, with a reputation for the highest quality care. Lexington Medical Center won "Best Hospital" by readers of The State for ten years in a row, "Best Hospital" by readers of the Free Times, "Best Place to Have a Baby" by readers of Palmetto Parent, the "Consumer Choice Award" from the National Research Corporation and the prestigious "Summit Award" from Press Ganey.
