Virtual summer jobs program gives local high school students a glimpse into a career in the healthcare industry

Each year, Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital’s Community Health and Wellness Department coordinates a summer jobs program that has a lasting impact on both the hospital and the students. By working with the Boston Private Industry Council, BWFH is able to give local high school students the opportunity to learn about careers in the healthcare industry. This summer, 12 students from Boston Public Schools participated in the program.

“In the past, students have worked on site within the various departments in the hospital. This year, in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we had to do things a little differently,” says Katie Plante, Community Health Program Coordinator at BWFH. “Similar to last year, we decided to partner with Brigham and Women’s Hospital to offer a fully virtual program. College interns were hired by BWH to oversee the high school interns. The college interns lead the high school interns through their workdays, which consisted of workshops, speaker series and independent projects. While they didn’t get a hands-on experience, the students did learn a lot about financial literacy, health and wellness, STEM career opportunities, and public policy and social justice.

Meet the students!