What is a Pathway?

The 18 Pathways listed below give middle, high school and college-level students a hands-on experience as a health care professional. Pathways take place at colleges, high schools, hospitals, career and technical centers near you. Each Pathway is geared towards specific ages, grades or schools.

Advanced MedQuest in Burlington, Vermont

For Grades: 10 11 12
Description: This program provides a six-day college campus experience in Burlington, VT, with health career exploration opportunities for fifteen students who are MedQuest alumni.

Allied Medical Services

For Grades: 11 12
Description: This course introduces students to medical careers available in today's high tech facilities. Students work toward certification in blood borne pathogens, CPR, Basic First Aid, and Medical Terminology. Two Project Running Start courses, which are taught in conjunction with the River Valley Community College, are Medical Terminology and Legal and Ethical Issues in Health Care. These provide an option for earning college credit, while students are still attending high school. Students may select these options to enhance their program. The content of this program is basic for all professional level health careers with basic anatomy and physiology being taught during the senior year. Seniors also participate in work placements at local hospitals, vet clinics, dental offices, and nursing homes. Participation in the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) Leadership Club and National Technical Honor Society (NTHS) is also offered.

Blood & Guts at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital

For Grades: 7
Description: Program for 7th grade students that provides hands-on activities that demonstrate the miracle of the human body and the allied health professionals who help the body stay in good working order.

CDC CO-OP Program in Bennington

For Grades: 11 12
Description: To provide students with opportunities to explore career interests and apply academic and technical skills learned in the classroom in a real job setting. Activities include: job shadows, non-paid work experience, paid cooperative work experience, student apprenticeships.

Cooperative Educational Experience in Brattleboro

For Grades: 11 12
Description: To provide job shadowing, volunteer and work experiences with area health providers. Elective credit is available.

Fire Service in Brattleboro Fire Department

For Grades: 11 12
Description: An introductory course with an emphasis on fire/emergency hands-on training. This course meets the Vermont State requirements for Firefighter 1 Certification. Class subjects range from fire science/behavior to emergency medical topics. There are class trips to area emergency service agencies.

Focus On The Future in Bennington

For Grades: 9
Description: Focus in the Future offers career exploration and planning for 9th graders. Students work closely with teachers and guidance counselors to identify the career clusters of personal interest and explore the skills necessary to succeed in them. They then create individualized plans to ensure that their secondary education prepares them for the type of career they envision for themselves. Activities include visits by guest speakers, soft skill development, and job shadows.

Health Careers Academy at Stafford Technical Center

For Grades: 11 12
Description: Education and general health career exploration for Licensed Nurse Assistant Certificate, First Responder, and CPR certification. The second year includes the potential for a work co-op experience, classes at Castleton State College for college credit, and a paid work experience.

Health Careers Program at River Valley Technical Center, Springfield, VT

For Grades: 11 12
Description: The Health Careers Program is designed to prepare students for success in further education in health care programs and/or to provide the skills for entry-level positions in health care. Instruction includes the ethics of health care, communication skills and hands-on training in patient care, emergency first aid, automated external defrillator, and CPR. Year One includes the VT State Board of Registration-approved Licensed Nurse Assistant (LNA) program: successful completers will be prepared to sit for the LNA exam. Job shadowing and clinical rotation experience in a variety of health care settings will also take place. In Year Two, students participate in intensive field work in a variety of areas, participate in a senior seminar, research college choices, and can receive six fully transferrable college credits for successful completion of "Medical Terminology" and "Legal and Ethical Issues in Healthcare."

Introduction To The World Of Nursing

For Grades: 7 8 9 10 11 12 College-level
Description: A one-day overview of the nursing profession that includes a tour of the DHMC.

Learn To Earn in Rutland

For Grades: 7 8 9 10 11 12
Description: Local employers and entrepreneurs encourage and support young people to take math and science classes through hands-on workshops in the schools.

Medical and Human Services

For Grades: 11 12
Description: The Medical and Human Services Program introduces the students to a variety of careers involved in working with and helping others. Each student is exposed to the principles and practices needed to assist the medical/human services worker in providing knowledgeable and accurate care. An introductory work experience is provided in a variety of medical/human service settings and through work experiences, community involvement and classroom instruction students increase their awareness of individual needs and refine employment skills for working with clients and patients of all ages.

Medical Professions Program at Southwest Career Development Center

For Grades: 11 12
Description: Health Science Technology is a two-year, secondary career education program for students interested in pursuing a career in health care. It is designed to give an introduction to the knowledge base of physical and social sciences that are necessary for most health care careers. The first year focuses on health careers, career exploration, workplace skills, the history of health care and the economics of health care. The second year focuses on preparing the student for the transition to clinical or work-based experiences in health care.

MedQuest in Bennington and Rutland

For Grades: 9 10
Description: Health career exploration and job shadowing experiences with health care professionals in a college campus setting help youth build an awareness of their personal interests, values and skills in relation to specific health careers.

Summer Tech Camp in Springfield

For Grades: 7 8 9
Description: Career Exploration Camp to build student awareness of potential careers; build awareness of educational opportunities at area high schools and technical centers.

Vital Signs - Directions In Nursing in Brattleboro

For Grades: 9 10 11 12
Description: Intensive state-of-the-art exploration of nursing careers including classroom instruction; job shadowing; visits to area nursing schools.

Dare To Care at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center

For Grades: No Grade Requirement
Description: Introduce youth and adults to health career opportunities and preparation for becoming hospital volunteers who interact with patients.

Learn To Earn in Bennington County

For Grades: No Grade Requirement
Description: Local employers and entrepreneurs encourage and support young people to take math and science classes through hands-on workshops in schools.