PRESS RELEASE: Iroquois Healthcare Association Pipeline Program Funds Healthcare Career Opportunities for High Schoolers
The Iroquois Healthcare Association is partnering with local high schools, hospitals, and community colleges to build programs that will tackle severe workforce shortages.
(Clifton Park, NY) – The Iroquois Healthcare Association (IHA) received a grant from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation (MCHF) to support an existing Early College in the High School program in Oswego, NY, and develop pilot Early College in the High School programs in two other areas of Upstate New York.
The Early College in the High School model allows high school students to earn college credits at no cost, while completing a variety of shadowing and internship experiences in their local hospital. By the time students who participate in this model graduate, they are already well on their way to a successful career in healthcare and have a solid relationship with a potential employer. Students can begin earning credits and shadowing as early as 9th grade.
This is a proven model that has been highly successful in other areas of the state, such as the program facilitated by Oswego Health, Fulton City Schools, and Cayuga Community College. This program graduated their first full cohort of over 20 students this past June, many of them going on to pursue further education in healthcare.
This program is an innovative solution intended to tackle severe staffing shortages which have wreaked havoc on upstate and rural hospitals since long before the pandemic. COVID-19 exacerbated the issue, pushing hospitals to their limits. Staffing shortages lead to staff burn out, obstruction of care, and have threatened the ability for hospitals to provide full service.
The program will build the pipeline of healthcare providers upstate, securing access to care for upstate and rural populations, while also connecting local students with the opportunity to gain experience and complete a portion of higher education at no cost to them or their families.
IHA will soon begin the process of selecting the locations for the two new pilot programs and student learning is set to begin in September of 2025.
About the Iroquois Healthcare Association: IHA is a regional healthcare trade organization representing 54 hospitals and health systems, spanning over 28,000 square miles, across 32 counties of Upstate New York. IHA is the leading resource for facilities and professionals bringing quality health care to the region. IHA represents the unique needs of rural, small community safety-net providers to large, academic medical centers in Upstate New York’s urban areas through advocacy, education and information, cost-savings initiatives and innovative business solutions.
About the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation: The MCHF is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve the health and well-being of New Yorkers, bolster the health outcomes of vulnerable communities, eliminate barriers to care, and bridge gaps in health services. Named after a tireless advocate for immigrants, children, and the poor, the Foundation funds programs and initiatives across New York State that provide either direct healthcare services or address the social determinants of health.