THUNDER BAY – LIVING – Eleven secondary school students are registered for a new Dual Credit program offered jointly by Beaver Brae High School, Confederation College, and Lake of the Woods District Hospital. Grade 12 students from the Kenora school are trading their paper and pencils for stethoscopes, while learning about career options in the Canadian health care system. This is the first year for this local program, building on the model of dual credits that focus on the trades, business, and general electives.
The semester-long program offers students a high school credit course and College-credit course, team-taught by Beaver Brae High School teacher Deb Allen and Confederation College faculty Kim Elke.
“It is our hope that this pilot project will help engage students in a unique learning environment, while preparing them for their post-secondary education,” says Shane Strickland, Dean, School of Health, Negahneewin, & Community Services with the college.
Ray Racette, President & CEO of Lake of the Woods District Hospital calls it a potential game changer for encouraging high school students to pursue post-secondary studies. “We are extremely pleased with the interest from students in this progressive approach. This is a new, creative way to foster an early interest in healthcare careers. The career opportunities in the health sector are vast and we truly value seeing people from the Kenora Region return home and practice in our system.”
While the college has teamed up with the Kenora high school to offer the dual credit program before, this is a first for the healthcare field, and all sides hope it is something that will continue beyond the pilot.
Students will examine concepts of the Canadian health care system, social determinants of health, and professional roles and responsibilities. Through hands-on learning in the LWDH simulation suite and the Confederation College Health lab, the students will learn about health care professions, daily work and responsibilities, and time management. Human lifespan development topics are included, focusing on physical, social, and emotional aspects. This team-taught course is designed to increase high school graduation and allow a seamless transition to post-secondary studies.
Anyone looking for more information about the Dual Credit Program can contact Noreen Bourgeois, Manager, Lake of the Woods Campus at Noreen.Bourgeois@confederationcollege.ca.
Confederation College has been serving the citizens of northwestern Ontario since 1967 meeting the educational needs of students in a catchment area of some 550,000 square kilometres. Along with its main campus in Thunder Bay, Confederation College has seven regional sites located in Dryden, Fort Frances, Greenstone, Kenora, Marathon, Sioux Lookout and Red Lake, as well as a growing Distance Education division.
Confederation College delivers exceptional education and training to an average of 4,800 combined full- and part-time students per year and currently has a total of 600 full- and part-time employees. Confederation’s regional economic impact and contribution is valued at $703.3 million annually.
