Health Care Exploration

Prisma Health is committed to igniting students’ interests in health careers through exploratory opportunities. As opportunities develop, please check this page for a list of current programs.

Due to reductions in workforce, we regret to inform you that Prisma Health is no longer able to accept requests for K-12 experiences. Please return to this page for any updates related to exploratory programming for K-12 student learners.

Virtual Health Careers Club

Virtual Health Careers Club gives high school students the opportunity to learn more about health careers.

MedEx Academy

MedEx Academy is a one-of-a-kind program developed to help high school and college students explore and experience various healthcare careers.

Shadowing at Prisma Health

Shadowing at Prisma Health offers pathways for students to experience, observe and connect to professions in healthcare.

Internships

Prisma Health offers a range of internship opportunities throughout the year for students enrolled in undergraduate or master’s degree programs.

Volunteering at Prisma Health

Because students are placed as needed throughout the system, volunteering is an excellent way to acquire broad exposure to health care and healthcare administration.

Nurse Extern Program

An additional Tier IV of MedEx Academy, the Nurse Extern Program is a 10-week summer program designed to give rising senior undergraduate nursing students real-world immersion within acute care.

Previous Career Talks

During the height of COVID, when in-person opportunities were shut down, Prisma Health team members joined us to talk about their careers. View the recorded videos here.

May 2021: Stroke Information & Male Nursing Panel
April 2021: CPR Information
March 2021: Simulation Lab Procedures
Feb. 2021: Hemorrhage Control Talk
Jan. 2021: Anaphylaxis Talk & Nursing Career Talk
Dec. 2020: Bacteria vs. Viruses Talk
Nov. 2020: Emergency Medicine Career Talk

Partnership Programs

Health Science Career Center at Carolina High School

The Health Science Career Center (HSCC) seeks to provide robust hands-on, health career focused curriculum for 11th and 12th grade students at Carolina High School. Students in this program explore a wide range of health science vocational opportunities, research questions, and volunteering experiences while focusing on issues of population health and community engagement. The HSCC is about empowering youth to be the change they want to see in the future healthcare workforce.

Youth Apprenticeships (high school students)

Prisma Health Human Resources and Nursing Academics in partnership with Midlands Technical College, Columbia Chamber of Commerce, and Richland District Two have created an apprenticeship model to be expanded to the Upstate in fall 2022. Youth apprentices (high school students) dually enrolled at Midlands Technical College and their high schools are simultaneously employed PRN (as needed) by Prisma Health in the role of Nursing Support Assistant.

By the end of their apprenticeship at Prisma Health, students will have achieved (1) all prerequisite courses for the nursing career pathway, (2) approximately 32 college credits (about 3 semesters paid for) and (3) future opportunities for employment.

For more information about the Prisma Health Youth Apprenticeship program, please contact Val Richardson, Director of Talent and Workforce Development.

READI-2Work (junior and senior undergraduate students)

Finding Your Future (senior undergraduate students)

The Finding Your Future shadowing program is a month long experience offered by UofSC School of Medicine Columbia in conjunction with Prisma Health Richland for selected college students interested in pursuing medicine. For more information on Finding your Future, please contact Dr. James Stallworth, Academic Vice Chair for Pediatrics, and read an article about the program here.

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