School based programs


Deaconess Medical Center supports the following school based career exposure programs:

Career Focus Student Volunteers

	Career Focus student volunteers are involved in a Career Focus class at a participating High School during the school year. The purpose of the class is to expose students to different career paths by allowing them to volunteer at a participating facility of their choice throughout the Spokane area. A career focus school based program coordinator is assigned to monitor the students during their volunteer time. The Career Focus student volunteer program continues throughout the school year. Student volunteers are placed in a department based on their interests and their interview with volunteer services. Students are required to volunteer four days a week during the Career Focus class time (generally in the mornings for 1-2 hours). Students are pre-screened by EHS Volunteer Services with criteria mirrored after our Jr. Volunteer program. Career Focus student volunteers are required to follow the same health screenings and must complete a WSP criminal history check prior to placement. Students are required to attend a safety education and complete HIPAA/confidentiality and media releases. For more information go to www.spokaneschools.org/CTE/CareerFocus.stm

PICI (Practicum in Community Involvement) Student Volunteers

	P.I.C.I. stands for Practicum In Community Involvement. It is an award-winning class offered to all Lewis and Clark seniors in which they receive 5 hours of college credit. The P.I.C.I. student interns are placed at various community facilities based on their career interests. Throughout their internship, they volunteer to produce evidence of continuing research on their chosen topic, including consulting with experts in the field and presenting their findings through peer teaching. At the end of the school year, the students produce a final research paper and present their findings in a seminar in April and a final project in May. These are high-caliber students driven to achieve a higher level of education while at the same time receiving real-life experience in the field they have chosen. The purpose of the program is to expose high school age students through service-learning to the clinical settings of the health care industry and to encourage interest in the health sciences. Students are pre-screened by EHS Volunteer Services with criteria mirrored after our Jr. Volunteer program. PICI student volunteers are required to follow the same health screenings and must complete a WSP criminal history check prior to placement. Students are required to attend a safety education and complete HIPAA/confidentiality and media releases. For more information go to http://www.newpriorities.org/community.html#Internship

MESA (Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement) Program

	The goal of MESA is to provide globally competitive and individually competent students in mathematics, engineering and science with full participation of under-represented students, including African Americans, Hispanics, American Indians, and women. MESA provides opportunities in mathematics, engineering and science for these students in grades 7–12 through the use of exemplary materials and instructional approaches, and serves as a catalyst and model for educational excellence and equity. In spring, Deaconess Medical Center provides a ½ day career exploration seminar where students are exposed to department specific presentations by staff to encourage students to consider a future career in healthcare. For more information www.spokane.wsu.edu/research%26service/MESA/

Project H.O.P.E. (Health Occupations Preparatory Experience)

	The purpose of Project H.O.P.E is to expose under represented population’s high school age students to the clinical settings of the health care industry and to encourage interest in the health sciences. The program is for 6-weeks. The student is scheduled 4-hour shifts 5 days a week. They receive a stipend paid by the Washington Department of Health. Students are pre-screened by the Area Health & Education Center WSU Spokane and EHS Volunteer Services with criteria mirrored after our Jr. Volunteer program. H.O.P.E. volunteers are required to follow the same health screenings and must complete a WSP criminal history check prior to placement. Students have attended safety education and completed HIPAA/confidentiality and media releases. They are expected to follow the Jr. Volunteer program policy and procedures. For more information contact Bonnie Wagner, Program Coordinator, BonnieW@wsu.edu

STRIVE – (Special Education Training Resources In Vocational Exploration) Volunteer Program

	STRIVE is a progressive job training program for special education students. Students explore their interest areas and build lifelong job skills while earning school credit toward graduation. The STRIVE Program has been in existence for 23 years and serves every high school and the alternative programs in School District #81. Deaconess Medical Center’s Central Service department has partnered for over 20 years with the Strive program. Students are accompanied by a teacher and instructional assistant during their placement at the hospital. In the last 20 years over 200 students have participated in this program at Deaconess Medical Center. For more information www.spokaneschools.org/StudentSupport/SpecialEd/STRIVE/Parent.stm

Senior Projects

	Deaconess Medical Center supports senior projects by providing career exposure opportunities in a specific department with a staff member for 12 hours or less. Interested students must complete a job shadow application packet and mail or fax the completed forms to Deaconess Medical Center volunteer services. Two (2) students are considered for each rotation. The rotations are Sept.-Dec., Jan.-March, March – May. Some departments may not participate due to hospital policies. Students DO NOT CONTACT the departments directly. All senior projects requests must go through volunteer services. If you have additional questions please email volunteers@empirehealth.org, type in your question and a volunteer service staff member will respond.