JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A total of 19 local high school students from Jacksonville’s AnnieRuth Foundation’s 2023 summer internship program toured the Wayne and Delores Weaver Mayo Clinic Simulation Center this Friday to provide career insights into medical professional careers (i.e., nursing, radiology, nuclear medicine, physician, phlebotomist, histology technician, medical research and much more).
The AnnieRuth Foundation’s Summer Internship Program affords high school students the opportunity to work part-time in a real-life setting, learn new skills and earn money for their future.
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Dee Wilcox, founder and CEO of the AnnieRuth Foundation, said the program is open to all high school juniors and seniors in Duval County and surrounding counties.
“They want to become anything from OBGYNs, surgeons, nurses, you name it. They’re here today to learn as much as they can while enjoying the experience of touring the simulation center,” Willcox said.
The program places a strong emphasis on personal, academic, and essential workforce skills. After completing the one-year program, interns are placed in safe, professional environment where they receive hands-on experience, an adult mentor, and a paycheck.
Students took a tour of the Mayo Clinic’s simulation center Friday and interacted with one of the Mayo Clinic’s top researchers Dr. John Copland who arranged the tour of the Simulation Center. Students like Teno Dawson, a 2023 intern and Beachside High School, were also in attendance.
Dawson said he has dreams of becoming a neurosurgeon one day.
“It’s been great,” Dawson said. “I like looking at all the different things and how they work. It’s really inspiring to see where I hope to be in the next few years.”
Through the summer internship program, professionals interact with students once a month (through business seminars) for a full calendar year ending in May. Students accumulate points throughout the year and those who do well become award recipients and are offered the opportunity to complete a summer internship that aligns with their career aspirations.
Maya Bhaskar, a 2023 award recipient intern and a student at Providence, is passionate about medicine and says being a part of the program this summer taught her valuable workplace training.
“I want to be a cardiovascular surgeon,” Bhaskar said. “It fuels my passion to see some of the things I might be doing when I’m older. This makes me very motivated.
“Registration for the 2024 program is currently open. Any high school junior or senior interested in completing the program can go to our website and complete the online application. The goal is to attract 100 students to the program this year. Once the goal is met, the registration process will close,” Wilcox said.
Visit sowingseeds.today to apply or call Dee Wilcox at 904-200-7202 for more information.