Lowcountry AHEC Health Careers Programs and Successes

(right to left) Kristin Blair and Dr. Belk

Lowcountry AHEC works diligently to increase the number and diversity of students entering the health professions pipeline. The Lowcountry AHEC Summer Internship Program serves as a vehicle for accomplishing this goal by offering career exploration opportunities for graduating high school seniors and undergraduate students. Selected students are placed in Lowcountry healthcare facilities for four weeks in July. Students are provided opportunities to observe a healthcare setting and develop their personal and professional skills through special student sessions. Students who successfully complete the program are awarded a $500 stipend. Lowcountry AHEC has achieved great success through this program.

Lowcountry AHEC Health Careers Program Coordinator Natasha Chatman shares, “Our interns are awesome, and they really impress the preceptors at our clinical sites.” Kristin Blair, a senior at South Carolina State University, served as an intern with Edisto Dental Associates (EDA) in Orangeburg last summer. Due to her excellent performance, EDA convinced Ms. Blair to continue her experience beyond the program as a hired employee. Lowcountry AHEC proudly reports that she is only one example of the quality students who enter the healthcare pipeline through Lowcountry AHEC programs.

Another valuable exploration experience is the Health Career Exploration Symposium.  This Lowcountry AHEC one-day workshop provides high school students with an opportunity to explore health careers through learning activities.

Applications for both programs will be available after January 15. To find out more information and obtain applications, visit the Lowcountry AHEC website or contact Natasha Chatman at chatmann@lcahec.com.