Miller lands hands-on opportunity and real-life experience

Central York High School offers plenty of opportunities for students to learn outside the high school building and traditional classroom settings. But this year, students were offered yet another experience for medical simulation labs at York College. Connie Sohnleitner, the career counselor, said the medical simulation labs at York College afforded an amazing experience for high school students who hope to go into the medical field for a career.

"Last summer, I contacted Dr. Karen March, the director of the nursing program at York College, for opportunities for kids to go to medical school and she came up with this idea," said Sohnleitner.

Sohnleitner said that eight Central students are piloting the program this year, four in the fall semester and four in the spring. Junior Madelyn Miller is one of the four Central students who was selected to participate in the fall semester’s medical simulation labs.

"Nursing definitely will be my major," said Miller, who hopes to become a registered nurse after her college. Miller said the program included labs and practices on the dummies intended for medical simulation.

“The class taught me skills I will need as a nurse," Miller said. “We were taught to do injections, to place tubes, to deliver babies, to clean wounds and to wrap broken bones. I especially liked the delivery simulation because that’s the kind of nursing I want to do: childbirth and delivery.”

She said she’s passionate about a career in nursing because of her own life experience. “My brother died when I was younger, so I want to make sure that no other family has to go through that and gets a good nursing care,” said Miller.

Sohnleitner said the course counts as one credit and is open to juniors and seniors who meet the requirements. Participants must be academically strong, mature, mannerly and interested in a medical career.

“The four professors from York College and the students’ parents came to hear the participants’ presentations at the end of the semester,” said Sohnleitner. “The professors were so impressed by the presentations. They said the Central students exceeded their expectations.’

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