Student Ambassadors Complete Summer Program at BFMC

GREENFIELD — Nine local high school students recently graduated from Baystate Franklin Medical Center’s fourth Student Ambassador program at Baystate Franklin Medical Center. Run by the hospital’s Volunteer Services Department, the Student Ambassador program is designed as a career exploration option for high school students.

During the seven-week program, each student rotated through two departments, choosing from Radiology, Rehabilitation Services, Laboratory, the inpatient nursing units, Nutrition, Pharmacy, Orthopedic Surgery, and Cardiopulmonary. Students shadowed physicians, nurses, technicians, pharmacists, dieticians, and more, learning about a variety of careers in health care, and about how the jobs and departments within the hospital connect to each other.

Greg Shelkey, who is entering his senior year at Frontier Regional High School, was one of the students in the class of 2009. He comes from a family of health care workers, and started looking at a career as a physician when he entered high school. Shelkey’s mother, Barbara Shelkey, is a registered nurse in the Birthplace at BFMC; his older sister is in medical school; and four aunts and uncles work in health care.

“By the time I was in 10th grade, I was pretty sure I wanted to be a doctor,” Shelkey said. “Taking part in the Student Ambassadors program gave me even more insight into what being a doctor is all about, and confirmed for me that I definitely want to go to medical school.”

One of his rotations involved shadowing Drs. Jeremy Stevens and Brian Hoffman of Baystate Medical Practices, Greenfield Orthopedic and Sports Medicine. “I watched them diagnose patients, do physical exams, give cortisone shots, examine X-rays. I also was able to go into the operating room to observe two knee arthroscopies, a total knee replacement, and ankle surgery. It was great.

“You can read all you want about hospitals and you can watch TV shows about being a doctor, but it’s totally different being in the hospital and getting the whole experience,” Shelkey added. “It’s a great opportunity to get a real feeling for what it’s like to work in the health care field. Being in the Student Ambassadors clinched it for me; it confirmed my desires.”

Franklin County high-school students who are interested in participating in Student Ambassadors should contact the BFMC Volunteer Services Office at (413) 773-2318.