THUNDER BAY – Healthbeat – The City’s largest employer, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC), welcomed a group of grade 9 high school students for the popular ‘Take Your Kids to Work’ Day.
“This year has been a huge success in terms of our departments stepping up to volunteer and offer more tours for the students”, says Cynthia Gerolami, Event Co-Coordinator. “Most of the evaluations that we collected after last year’s event stated that the students wanted more tours and less speakers. We did our best to create a very worthwhile experience.
53 students participated in this year’s event, which surpassed expectations. The day began with an orientation session where the students were introduced to staff members and tour guides. They were also given a crash course in the hospital’s confidentiality, privacy & safety, and infection control policies.
After their orientation, the students were divided into groups and were treated to interactive tours of designated areas of the Health Sciences Centre. “With the help of dedicated Health Sciences Centre staff along with parent and employee volunteers, we were able to organize tours of the Laboratory, Waste Management and Sterile Processing Department, Nutrition and Food Services, Laundry Services, Radiation Therapy, an Operating room, and the Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute,” explains Gerolami. “The tours provided the students with an opportunity to participate in hands-on activities, while showcasing the many different departments of our Health Sciences Centre.” ‘Take Your Kids to Work’ Day also highlighted the abundant career options that are available for those interested in healthcare. “There’s a misconception at this age that you have to be a Doctor or a Nurse to work at a hospital, “says Megan Beach, Clinical Recruiter at TBRHSC. “So, we use this opportunity to educate the grade nines about what other careers you can pursue in healthcare and give them first-hand looks what those people do everyday”.
Marcello Bernardo
