‘24
At Indian Hills, the administration is continuously searching for ways to encourage academic and intellectual exuberance amongst students. A recent example of this is the launch of a new course under the University Program for Science, Medicine, and Research (UPSMR), Introduction to Healthcare. The course is taught by Mrs. Marateo-Gonzalez and is offered to sophomores in the program as a chance at dual enrollment through Quinnipiac University. The class is an incredible chance to give students “real-world” exposure and set them up for future success in professional and personal life.
The planning for the course began back during the 2021-2022 school year when Quinnipiac University was invited to Indian Hills in hopes of discussing pathways for students interested in health sciences. As a result of IH students, IH and Quinnipiac staff, and speakers at a follow-up meeting to the initial collaborative efforts, the course concept emerged.
Mrs. Marateo-Gonzalez explains a rough outline of the Introduction to Healthcare curriculum as being divided into 6 units: Professionalism in Healthcare, Clinical Careers, Therapeutic Careers, Diagnostic Careers, Health Promotion & Wellness Careers, and a final unit in a profession of personal interest unique to each student.
Mrs. Manzi offers that upon further review of opinions from the IH students and staff, “[…] interest was expressed in extending this college opportunity to the high school level student.” To specifically aid the students looking to pursue careers in health sciences, the course was constructed to “[…] broaden the understanding of the wide variety of career options in the Health Sciences and provide students with an opportunity to build career skills such as communication and presentation skills, goal setting, and networking.” Students taking the course can expect to examine job outlook predictions, have the opportunity to interact with guest speakers, and develop critical skills to strengthen their readiness for college and beyond.
Suhani Parekh, a sophomore in the UPSMR, shares that, “Getting the opportunity to be the first in this new class is a really exciting experience. Mrs. G is such an interactive teacher […].” She continues to tell how she looks forward to the guest speakers coming later in the year and offers gratitude for the class, as its content, “[…] does play a big role in the medical field, like our other UP classes.”
When asked what she looks forward to most about the inclusion of this new course in the University Program curriculum, Mrs. Marateo-Gonzalez explains that the course, “[…] provides students with experiences that can help them with future career strategies, while having the opportunity to earn college credit at the same time.” She also shares that she is enthusiastic about watching students learn about a wide range of careers and hopefully spark interest in areas that students were previously unfamiliar with.
As is the goal of all classes offered at Indian Hills, the directive of the course is inspiring students to explore areas of study they may have previously been unaware of. The class could also allow students to become more skilled in areas, like healthcare, where the newfound knowledge can aid them in life beyond high school. Introducing these objectives to students earlier on may be beneficial for long term stability and success, both professionally and personally.
