The Area Geriatric Education Scholars (AGES) program, an innovative and uniquely U.P. hands-on approach to introducing youth to health care careers, is entering its third year. During the past two years, AGES, a U.P.-wide collaboration developed by the Upper Peninsula Health Education Corporation (UPHEC), has placed forty-five area high school students in paid summer internships at nursing homes in their communities.
AGES interns with career goals in medicine, nursing, physical therapy, social work, pharmacology, dentistry and radiology come from across the U.P.
“AGES brings these talented kids together, providing them with an outstanding opportunity and at the same time addresses a serious, region-wide need for trained health care professionals,” said David Luoma, MD, UPHEC CEO and community assistant dean of the U.P. campus of Michigan State University College of Human Medicine.
The program had seven students in 2006. The 2007 AGES program grew to include thirty-eight interns from ten counties placed in thirteen private and public nursing homes.
AGES increases understanding between the interns and older U.P. residents while addressing workforce shortages and increased demand for specialized geriatric care.
“Our interns connected very well with residents and their efforts were much appreciated,” said Julie Beck, LBSW, a social worker and activities coordinator at Portage Pointe (Hancock). “The students’ enthusiasm is contagious as is their interest in learning and willingness to try new things.”
Beck said her site is getting ready to accept interns again this year.
The program provides an opportunity for U.P. youth to interact with peers from across the region, connects local students to prospective future employers and helps students feel more confident choosing careers in health care.
“AGES gave me the chance to work with seniors early on, and the experience helped me firm up my career choice,” said Erik Pohlman, a Westwood High School senior and AGES alum who was an intern at Marquette County Medical Care (Ishpeming).
Pohlman plans to study radiography in the Marquette General-NMU program this fall.
“I met great people and made friends through AGES,” he said.
Yesenia Mueller of Norway, who interned at Pinecrest Medical Care Facility and is interested in nursing, said she greatly appreciated this opportunity.
“AGES is a great program and should definitely continue forever,” she said.
An intern’s typical day includes leading seniors in activities such as sing-alongs, bingo, gentle exercise and providing companionship. Interns “job shadow” nurses, physicians, physical therapists and other professionals. They also learn about professionalism, schedule management and assessing preemployment experiences. Each AGES intern can earn a stipend for as much as $1,000 and works between twenty and thirty hours a week over the seven-week summer internship.
UPHEC conducts a three-day orientation at NMU in Marquette. The orientation is hosted by Northern Michigan University’s Seaborg Center and Marquette General Health System. All interns attend, studying in college classrooms and living in dorms—getting an early taste of college life.
Orientation instructors discuss senior health issues such as Alzheimer’s Disease, depression, osteoporosis, heart disease and stroke. Orientation also covers geriatric care, health care career paths, healthy aging, elder law, U.P. aging demographics and policy issues. Interns ask medical, nursing and physical therapy students about their career interests, studies and applying to professional schools.
MGHS conducts guided tours of the MRI center and demonstrations of telemedicine. Interns maintain contact with AGES staff through site visits and meetings conducted U.P.-wide via the U.P. Telehealth Network. Michigan Works! provides instruction on professionalism in the workplace. And interns are trained and certified in Adult CPR through Michigan State Extension’s U.P. program.
UPHEC believes the extensive orientation has helped students succeed and contributed to the program’s growth. In the increasingly competitive selection process, ideal applicants show commitment to service, verbal ability, social skills and warmth. Interns have exceeded expectations and their can-do attitudes have contributed to program-wide satisfaction and successful growth. And they’ve connected with the elderly residents, building personal relationships and growing as individuals.
“The motivation, intelligence and enthusiasm of the AGES interns is impressive,” Luoma said. “This group of young people hits the ground running, eager to help seniors and understand their daily routines, challenges and life experiences—and hear stories from ‘back in the day.’”
The AGES preprofessional experience is one students can write about in their college applications and share with prospective employers as they fulfill career plans.
“Caring for seniors was a great real world experience,” said Megan Heinlein, now a freshman at MTU.
Heinlein recently was accepted with a guarantee of early admission to medical school.
AGES relies on community support to continue offering this opportunity to students like Heinlein. The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation has been instrumental in the program’s success, awarding a matching funds challenge grant for 2007 and 2008. UPHEC met the match requirement through generous donations from community foundations, health care organizations, corporate donors and service agencies. These supporters are listed on the UPHEC Web site at www.mgh.org/uphec
Further financial support is being sought for this year to accommodate the growing number of interns and sites.
“We are committed to providing opportunities to our young people, while ensuring U.P. residents have access to top quality health care,” said Luoma, a long-time local family medicine physician and U.P. native.
“Our role is to promote health care career awareness and facilitate excellent educational experiences.”
UPHEC has educated and promoted the distribution of health care professionals throughout the region since 1974. As AGES has received more media coverage, school districts from downstate Michigan and elsewhere have contacted UPHEC for suggestions on replicating AGES and tailoring the program to use in their communities.
In addition to operating the medical school, UPHEC oversees the Marquette Family Medicine Residency, places medical students in rural clerkships throughout the U.P. and implements pre-health care career programs for students of all ages. Additional information about UPHEC and AGES is available at www.mgh.org/uphec
UPHEC will make AGES 2008 applications available on its Web site on March 3. Other important program dates and deadlines are listed below. Prospective applications, interested nursing home sites and donors may contact UPHEC about AGES at 228-7970.
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