Gulfcoast South Area Health Education Center (GSAHEC) recently partnered with Blake Medical Center to welcome 10 local high school students interested in becoming nursing professionals. The students enjoyed three days of guest speakers, hands-on activities, hospital tours, and discussions about financial aid, college options and the wide variety of nursing careers. GSAHEC's mission is to provide health education that improves the well-being of the communities it serves.

GSAHEC’s director of student programs, Joan Dixon, and summer intern, Kim Nguyen, designed the program to provide local high school students interested in nursing careers a rare and unique opportunity to explore a variety of sub-specialties in partnership with Blake Medical Center’s nursing educators’ Kathryn Gleeson and Ashley Whidden. A local high school participant stated, “As a result of this experience, I am more likely to consider nursing as a career choice because they spend more time with patients, there is a wide variety of different specialties, and the job is very interesting. Nurses seem to be a great, positive impact on patients and people.” 

To learn more about Gulfcoast South AHEC, please contact Ansley Mora, executive director/CEO, at (941) 361-6602 or visit www.gsahec.org.