A summer volunteer program offered by SSM Health in Southern Illinois continues to grow, providing high school students with opportunities to explore careers in healthcare while helping develop the region’s future workforce.
The SSM Health Volunteen Program, which began in 2022 with just 11 students, received 56 approved applications this summer. Now in its fourth year, the program attracts students from communities throughout Southern Illinois, including Nashville, McLeansboro and West Frankfort.
The program allows high school students to spend several weeks shadowing healthcare professionals and learning about the wide range of careers available within a hospital setting.
SSM Health Human Resources Business Partner Ronesha Pena said the experience helps students understand that healthcare careers extend well beyond becoming a nurse or physician.
The program originally offered opportunities in five or six patient-care areas but has since expanded to approximately 20 departments, including Information Technology, Human Resources, Marketing, Administration and numerous clinical specialties.
Students gain firsthand experience in both patient-care and non-patient-care positions, helping them determine which career paths may best fit their interests.
Participants who successfully complete program requirements may apply for one of two $500 scholarships awarded at the end of the summer.
Through a partnership with Rend Lake College, students who complete 32 volunteer service hours may also earn college credit that can be applied toward their education at Rend Lake College or transferred to an accredited university following high school graduation.
Pena said the program has already demonstrated its value as a workforce development initiative, with several former participants returning to SSM Health as employees.
Some students who participated during the program’s early years have since been hired as certified nursing assistants, while others have returned as registered nurses.
Pena said the opportunity is particularly valuable in rural communities, where students may have limited exposure to the variety of careers available in healthcare.
Each summer, participants attend an orientation session before receiving personalized schedules of job-shadowing opportunities. The program concludes with a recognition reception attended by students and their families, where scholarships and special honors are presented.
Applications for the 2027 Volunteen Program will be available online through the SSM Health website.
Beginning next year, applicants must be at least 16 years old. The unpaid program runs from early June through mid-July and requires an online application, health screening documentation and parental consent for participants under 18.
dditional information will be available at www.ssmhealth.com