Rochester Regional Health has partnered with a local charter school in hopes of getting more young men interested in health care as a career.
The system invited middle school students from the University Preparatory Charter School (UPREP) for Young Men to participate in the third annual Men in Health Care workshop.
Among them was 7th grader Joshua Leger.
“I've considered healthcare since I was little,” Leger said.
Born with a cleft lip, Leger spent a lot of time in the hospital and with dentists, which fostered an admiration for those in the field.
“I always just look up to the nurses and the doctors that took care of me, and the people that work in dentistry,” he said. “They helped fix a lot of my problems. I knew that I wanted to work in this industry.”
The Men in Health care workshop presented an opportunity for Leger and his classmates to learn more about the various positions in health care. The group of 7th and 8th graders were exposed to different health care jobs through hands-on learning and panel discussions with professionals.
“Our hope is that they walk away with something in their mind that they can do that is not just assigned to nursing or being a physician,” said Lonie Haynes, Rochester Regional’s chief diversity, health equity, inclusion, and justice officer.
“There's a great plethora of opportunities in healthcare, and especially we could use young men in that space,” he said.
Middle school is when kids start developing the strong educational foundation that is needed for a career in health care, Haynes said. He said it's important to show students of color other avenues to attain a sustainable career.
