Introduction/Background

The Emerging Health Professionals (EHP) program combines dual enrollment coursework with clinical observations for high-achieving high school seniors interested in a career in healthcare. The program, initiated in 2005 and offered through the Lehigh Career and Technical Institute (LCTI), is

comprised of partner educational institutions and health care providers in northeast Pennsylvania.

EHP provides experiential and interactive learning opportunities within a variety of healthcare Settings providing exposure to a wide array of healthcare careers. Students attend college courses, clinical observations, and participate in healthcare oriented technical curriculum. The curricula

include topics such as career readiness, ethics, and infection control.

Importance of the Topic

The EHP program promotes recruitment of youth into healthcare careers, specifically careers at the Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN). Annual cohorts are typically 55 students; more than 750 students have graduated the program to date. More than 100 EHP alumni have been employed in a

range of positions at LVHN and many have acted as preceptors, special presenters, and Occupational Advisory Board members.

The increased demand for health care clinicians, especially nurses, has prompted a renewed focus on youth programs as a valuable recruitment tool. LVHN has taken a closer look at positive relationship building in secondary and post-secondary settings as a factor in recruitment. Do youth programs create positive experiences with a health network that carries into employment? Do additional touchpoints and programming during post-secondary education years build upon the positive attitudes and increase the likelihood that students will seek employment with the organization?

Rationale for the Panel

This panel will discuss the Emerging Health Program and its role as a recruitment tool. Additionally, we will explore the impact of post-secondary programming like the nurse externship on recruitment and retention. Panelists include instructors from the Emerging Health Program, program alumni, and college admissions representatives.

Challenges

A longer-term challenge for the program is increasing the diversity of the applicant pool and representation within the cohort and providing support to socioeconomically disadvantaged students and those historically underrepresented in health care careers. The EHP program is not without costs; students must pay for incidentals and tuition. While partner colleges offer discounted tuition rates, the cost of tuition remains an impediment and may serve to dampen potential student interest. The program requires independent transportation which serves as another barrier. To help address these needs, LVHN has partnered with LCTI to establish scholarships with the goal of removing the cost impediment and supporting students.