Coast Mountain College Opens Doors for High School Students with Introduction to Health Practices

Prince Rupert, BC— High school students in Smithers and Prince Rupert have the opportunity to learn about careers in healthcare before they’ve graduated with the Introduction to Health Practices Program at Coast Mountain College (CMTN).

“The benefit for these students is [that] they get to explore a variety of careers in healthcare, and they get introduced to healthcare theory, in addition to hands-on [learning]” says Laurie-Lynn Kallio, Regional Contracts Officer with CMTN.

The introductory program is currently open to eligible high students in Smithers and Prince Rupert school districts. Students taking each program get to experience both hands-on and research-informed practices and approaches. Instructors and presenters bring their practical knowledge to lessons, which gives students an idea of day-to-day work and culture from the field. Hands-on learning allows students to gain practical skills and exposure to real-life healthcare careers while also exploring the reasons and information behind the skills.

All tracks include expert advice from practitioners within the communities. Kallio continues, “We really welcome and encourage our local professionals to be part of this program… to introduce what they do to our students so [students] can get a good idea and grasp of the kind of day-in-the-life of a certain healthcare professional.”

Students also have access to a pool of experts beyond their communities, including the UBC Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Representatives deliver an informative and jam-packed presentation on pathways to study for degrees in pharmacy and medicine. As College Professor Jennifer Kennedy, RN, says, “It opened up options for [students] they didn't realize. They see [and hear] the standard ones, but then I think they got to hear about many different people, not only in the hospital but in the community, as well.”

Beyond the lessons from healthcare experts, the program provides additional resources to enhance students’ learning. Students are supported through the Rural eMentoring BC, a UBC mentorship program which gives students in rural and remote areas direct access to mentors who are either practitioners or more advanced students in the post-secondary education system. Students in this mentorship program can ask the mentor any questions they want related to healthcare as a profession and what it's like studying for these careers.

The CMTN Intro the Health Practices Program also provides students access to a simulation tool Virtu-WIL which allows them to experience authentic healthcare-related scenarios while enhancing their understanding of learning materials. In each simulation, students (alone or in groups) are presented with a clinical situation to think about, assess, and propose a course of action. Within the simulation, students receive feedback on their choices about the scenario.

In September 2024, the CMTN Introduction to Health Practices Program welcomed around 20 students from each secondary school, including Charles Hayes Secondary School (Prince Rupert), Smithers Secondary School (Smithers), and Houston Secondary School (Houston). CMTN works in partnership with school districts, so lessons can be taught in blocks within the high school setting. High school students earn credits for a high school elective and, in some cases, additionally for post-secondary credits. The dual-credit option was well-taken advantage of in Prince Rupert, where students completed 45 hours of instructor-led classwork to earn three credits they could apply towards a university credit program in the Arts or Sciences. These credits are transferrable to many BC post-secondary institutes.

Instructor Jennifer Kennedy commented on the opportunity to include partnerships within the communities. “I'm motivated to introduce [students] to the big, broad and [varied options] that you can find in healthcare,” she says.

Kennedy also restated Kallio’s thoughts about community involvement. “It was so many people's efforts. [Guest presenters] really spoke about their own career paths and the reality of [working in] healthcare.” Kennedy went on to say that people in the community answered the students’ questions about what it’s like these days. “I think by the people who were presenting, they are resilient people. Working in the field, they could really speak to the jobs and the ways in which the work is much bigger and more fulfilling.”

As the Introduction to Health Practices Program continue its new semester for high school students, CMTN looks to address the call from communities wishing to grow and nurture development in the Northwest. Dual enrolment and dual credit options, such as Introduction to Health Practices Program, expose students to potential health-oriented careers and contribute to growing overall healthcare capacity in the region.

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