VIDEO: Students Shadow Medical Professionals

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – It’s a better learning experience than the classroom, shadowing professionals and getting a hands-on experience in the field.

For most of the day, employees at OCH Regional Medical Center took high school and college students throughout their facility to show a day in the life of a hospital employee.

These students were ages 16 and up, and most have an idea about what they want to do in the future.

They just needed a little experience in the shoes of those who work in the medical field every day, and OCH was happy to help.

“I’m here to pick up a few and show them what I do,” said OCH Nursing Assistant, Susie Clay.

Employees at OCH Center took students from the surrounding area for a shadowing opportunity.

“We’ll be going around the patients, seeing what they need or if we need to assist them making their beds. I’ll be telling them kind of like what I do up stairs, my everyday norm,” said Clay.

It’s something that these students are looking forward to.

“I’m very excited. I’m ready to learn new things. I love school and just being around new things,” said high school student, Caden Cutshal.

Even some who are already in college appreciate the chance to make sure they are in the right field

“I decided to kind of get a little bit of experience in my profession so I can see if I’m going to like it and how it works, you know, basically be in the environment,” said MUW student, Katalin Jones.

The mentors for the day believe that this type of learning is important to have.

“I like to train them like I learned how to do it, from the old school and everything. I don’t like short cuts, so I try to show them how I learned how to do it,” said Clay.

Students can walk away knowing what its like to spend a day in the shoes of a medical pro.

“I love the hospital; I love the hustle and bustle. I love getting to know the patients and just to see what they need help with and how I can serve them in any way,” said Cutshall.

“Just the hands-on with the patients and, you know, seeing how the other co-workers interact with each other and how they work, and you just basically learn from them as well as growing on your own,” said Jones.