Gretchen Dennis takes students through a urinalysis procedure.
Students in the Health Pathways courses at Westerville Central and Westerville North learned more about the opportunities in the medical labs at Nationwide Children’s Hospital last Friday through an interactive presentation by recruiter Susan Doud and Hematology Supervisor Gretchen Dennis.
Doud highlighted how many career opportunities exist in a hospital system by challenging students to think about jobs in a hospital that did not include doctors or nurses. Dennis highlighted career opportunities in a medical lab setting, sharing that 70% of a physician’s diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment monitoring is based on accurate laboratory test results. As important as this career field is, there is currently a shortage of qualified medical laboratory professionals to fill positions in Central Ohio. The engaging presentation ended with a urinalysis, a common laboratory procedure.
Westerville students have the opportunity to explore the medical laboratory career field by participating in the Health Pathway coursework offered at each Westerville high school. Students can take four college credit plus courses through Columbus State as well as a lab techniques class on the CSCC campus to earn a clinical lab assistant certificate. Students interested in finding out more about this opportunity should contact their school counselor.