Springfield, MA
The HCOP programs for the Springfield community will be a collaborative partnership with the Baystate Springfield Educational Partnership (BSEP) programs. BSEP coordinates health career exploration programs with the Springfield Public Schools and local colleges. There are BSEP programs that provide students support for Academic/Employment Skills development, Foundations of Advanced Science and Technology (FAST) programs to support AP biology coursework, and its Career Prep program which provide for job shadowing, professional lecture, and hospital placements.
The Springfield High School of Science & Technology coordinates a summer workshop for rising 9th graders, who will enroll at Sci-Tech in the fall semester. The summer program offers instructions in math, science, physics, chemistry, and physical science as part of its Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) curriculum. These courses will enable students to receive foundational instruction as preparation for careers in various health fields.
Students from other schools in the Springfield Public School District are also targeted for participation. Affiliations with Pioneer Valley Area Health Education Center and its REACH program allow additional students from the Springfield Public School District to locate pathways towards careers in allied health fields.
In addition, high school students in Springfield have an opportunity to participate in the Patient Simulation Labs course at Springfield Technical Community College in an after-school program.
Undergraduate students have an opportunity to explore the requirements of a career in healthcare by attending a two-week (10 day) summer institute at Springfield College. The course is designed to enlighten anyone who potentially may enter the healthcare field and is unsure about some of the needs for this profession. Students who attend the summer program should be high school graduate or possess a GED equivalency diploma. The course is free and is open to any student from the Pioneer Valley region who lives in the designated HCOP communities. Students must have been accepted into a two-year program, and does not have to majoring in a health-related degree program. Highlights of the Springfield College summer program include Career Investigation, Health Career Planning, Lab work/Imaging, and Campus Tours.
