South Texas Health System and Mission CISD,
Collaborate to empower future healthcare leaders
MISSION, TEXAS (Jan. 17, 2024) - South Texas Health System (STHS) and Mission Consolidated Independent School District (CISD) are collaborating to organize a series of healthcare career conferences entitled "Pathways to Healthcare Careers" for junior high students.
The goal of these conferences is to inspire the next generation of healthcare professionals amid a rebound in the healthcare sector following the COVID-19 pandemic. The workshops, hosted by STHS Edinburg and STHS Children’s, aim to address the growing need for healthcare workers in the Rio Grande Valley by providing junior high students with hands-on learning.
These conferences expose students to various healthcare professions available in the hospital setting, including:
- Nursing,
- Radiology,
- Pharmacy,
- Respiratory,
- Laboratory,
- Physical rehabilitation,
- Emergency,
- Maternity,
- Pediatric Services
Tom Castañeda, System Director of Marketing & Public Relations at STHS, emphasized the importance of growing the public health workforce to build a more resilient future, particularly in a region already considered medically underserved.
“As the healthcare industry continues its recovery from the pandemic, it’s important to grow our public health workforce to help build a more resilient future. By hosting conferences like this one with local school districts, we’re hoping to inspire students to not only pursue careers in healthcare and show them that they don’t have to leave the region to thrive professionally.”, says Castañeda.
The conferences featured presentations from STHS Edinburg staff members, providing insights into career opportunities. Students toured STHS Edinburg and STHS Children’s to learn about educational requirements, hear from professionals, and witness healthcare heroes in action.
The first of four conferences with students from the Mission Consolidated Independent School District were held on Friday, January 12, 2024, at STHS.
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