ISD 721 New Prague Area Schools creates in-depth opportunities in health care for students.
Their YST program offers industry exposure, health care classes and credential opportunities that continue to attract many students to the health care field as a career path. Participating students, pictured, are shown using an ultrasound machine to check veins.
The school's Healthcare Career Exploration course includes rotations in conjunction with Mayo Health Systems, Goldsmith Eye Care, Praha Village and Main Street Dental.
Students have visited various departments, interacted/job shadowed with health care professionals, tried hands-on activities, participated in question-and-answer sessions and toured health care facilities.
Student reflections:
- "I think that the most valuable parts of the program were when we actually got to shadow someone in their real job. You can sit in front of a speaker and ask questions all day, but you won't get to know what they do in a day."
- "My absolute favorite part of today was the visit up to the operating room where we got to see the rooms, tools, robots and all the stuff that happens behind the closed doors. We dressed up in the full scrubs, foot booties and hair nets and had the chance to try the Davinci robot that they do surgeries with. This was extremely eye-opening as I am considering PA as a future path."
Classes and industry credentials
New Prague High School has approximately 1,350 students in grades 9 to 12. Their growing health care program offers a valuable talent pool for area employers. Last year, under the instruction of a licensed registered nurse, 18 students from their Integrated Healthcare 2 course earned their certified nursing assistant certificate. Due to the popularity and success of the course, this year over 33 students have registered.