By By ERIN VER BERKMOES / Niles Daily Star
NILES - Being ahead of the game is what it's all about.
Twenty-three students from Niles, Brandywine, Edwardsburg, Cassopolis, Buchanan and Berrien Springs are getting themselves ahead of the career game as members of the Health Academy, a program in its third year.
Juniors and seniors from these schools, as well as other schools in Berrien County, are able to get a feel about whether or not the health field is something they would like to pursue as a career. And they are able to take courses for college credit.
In order to get into the school year-long Health Academy program, the students must apply and go through an interview process, as well as pass a Michigan college assessment test, as there are only a limited number of seats.
After several weeks of classroom work, the students are able to take part in seven three-week rotations within different aspects of the health care industry, like radiology, surgery, dental and veterinary medicine.
On Mondays and Fridays, the students travel to Lake Michigan College where they take their anatomy course. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays they are in the classroom or at their rotation site.
While completing their rotations, the students are able to scrub-in and get some hands-on experience with the different practices of that field.
Justin Praklet, a 17-year-old senior at Edwardsburg High School, and Andrews added that they both feel privileged to be a part of this program. They said it is a great opportunity for all who participate since the experience isn't something which is normally offered at a high school. They also are able to get college courses under their belt for a much lower cost.
The students only pay about 25 percent of the actual college tuition for the courses they take.
Andrews recommends anyone in high school who thinks they might want to go into a health care field as a career apply for the Health Academy and see what it's all about.
Springsteen believes that through this program the students get prepared to further their education in the health care field.