For nearly a decade, Reading Hospital has partnered with local high schools to share healthcare career pathways with students. On September 11, Reading Hospital welcomed 29 high school interns as part of the Reading Hospital High School Internship Program. Of those, 26 students will participate in a full-year internship while three will participate during the spring semester.
The program, which expanded to all Berks County school districts for the 2022-2023 academic year, will host students from 12 local Berks County school districts; including Antietam, Boyertown, Conrad Weiser, Exeter Township, Fleetwood, Muhlenberg, Oley Valley, Reading, Schuylkill Valley, Tulpehocken, Wilson, and Wyomissing. This is the first year Antietam, Boyertown, Schuylkill Valley, Tulpehocken, and Wyomissing school districts will have students participating in the internship program.
Hansika Kundru, an Exeter High School student and current volunteer in the hospital’s Emergency Department, will intern in the NICU this year. In the future, she hopes to become a pediatrician or neonatologist. “I like being here because everyone is so friendly,” she said. “I think the Intern program will broaden my horizons and allow me to explore a new setting in the hospital.”
On their first day in the program, students toured the hospital and met with leaders including P. Sue Perrotty, Tower Health president and CEO, and Charles F. Barbera, MD, Reading Hospital president and CEO.
Dr. Barbera studied English and Communications in college. “I wasn’t considering a career in healthcare until I completed an internship at a hospital,” he shared with the students. “These experiences are life-changing." He also spoke about the pivotal shift in healthcare to focus on prevention. “Our goal, and the focus of our work is to keep patients healthy by preventing chronic diseases and accidents,” he said. “Throughout your career, you’ll have the opportunity to make a significant impact in this area and we need your help while you are here.”
Ms. Perrotty encouraged the students to consider a career in healthcare, which can lead them in many different directions thanks to opportunities in operational and clinical departments. “A hospital is similar to a city. We’re open 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. We will never close. To be successful we need individuals in clinical roles, of course, but we also need finance, IT, Marketing, Facilities, Human Resources, and so many more,” she said. “Thank you for participating in this special program. We hope it will enrich you as much as it enriches our team.”
About Reading Hospital
Reading Hospital is the flagship, Magnet Recognized, acute care hospital of Tower Health. Located in West Reading, Pa., Reading Hospital is a 697-bed hospital that is home to many top-tier specialty care centers, including Reading HealthPlex, McGlinn Cancer Institute, Miller Regional Heart Center, Emergency Department, Level I Trauma Center and Beginnings Maternity Center, which houses the region's only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). With more than 1,000 physicians, specialists, and advanced practice providers across 49 locations, Reading Hospital has been recognized for its quality outcomes and clinical expertise across services lines. It is listed as one of America's 100 Best Hospitals for four consecutive years and has been named one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals in 2022 and 2023. For more information, visit towerhealth.org.