Broward High School Students Get Insider's View on Careers In Health Care

Nearly 100 young men from five Broward County high schools were recently introduced to the many careers and opportunities that exist in the healthcare industry. The students, most of them from underrepresented communities, participated in hands-on demonstrations at Memorial Regional and Joe DiMaggio Children’s hospitals and heard from Memorial Healthcare System physicians and administrators that came from backgrounds similar to theirs.

Dr. Marvin Smith with Boyd Anderson High School students

The Career Day event was presented in conjunction with 5,000 Role Models of Excellence Project, a program that intervenes in the lives of teens to provide alternatives to crime and violence. Students from Hollywood Hills, Charles W. Flanagan, Boyd H. Anderson, Nova, and Hallandale high schools attended.

“It’s extremely important and impactful for these young men to see representation at the highest level. To see physicians, surgeons, and executive leadership that look like them and come from their communities,” said Dr. Marvin K. Smith, chief of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Memorial Regional Hospital and Memorial Regional Hospital South. “I think it’s important for them to understand they can do whatever they set their mind to, and seeing a representation and example of that can really reinforce those ideas.”

Dr. Marvin Smith

Memorial Healthcare System Chief Transformation Officer Vedner Guerrier shared insight about his rise from staff therapist to the C-suite and six physicians offered perspective in a panel discussion/Q&A that highlighted their individual journeys. Students also participated in interactive demonstrations that focused on career opportunities in trauma, surgical services, imaging, transplant, orthopedics, cardiology, and other medical specialties.

Vedner Guerrier, Vanessa Nazario, Antonio Burgess, Margie Vargas, Dr. Marvin Smith

Jessie Lee, from Boyd Anderson High School, learned how magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) works and also techniques to stop bleeding in trauma situations. “I’ve always wanted to do something in the medical field, to some degree, and that really inspired me to want to look into that more.”

Jessie Lee, Mersen Metayer

Students were welcomed to the half-day session by Memorial Healthcare System CEO K. Scott Wester and it concluded with the presentation of a $3,000 check from Chief Belonging and Equity Officer Vanessa Nazario to 5,000 Role Models Coordinator Antonio Burgess. The money will help students offset the cost of college prep expenses.

Memorial Healthcare System CEO Scott Wester

South Florida-based Memorial Healthcare System (www.mhs.net) is a national leader in quality care and patient, physician, and employee satisfaction. Its commitment to deeper caring and smarter health prioritizes a person-centered approach that has delivered safe, positive outcomes for 70 years.

Featuring multi-disciplinary collaboration, research, innovation, and transparency within its many facilities, Memorial is focused on removing barriers, increasing access, and providing equitable care throughout the region. It employs a staff of more than 16,000 and operates six hospitals, numerous primary, urgent, and 24/7 care facilities, medical office buildings, a health specialty center, and nursing home.

To learn more, visit mhs.net and connect on Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

The 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project within Broward County Public Schools is a dropout prevention, mentoring program committed to closing the minority male achievement (access) gap by guiding minority male students along a carefully charted path through grades K-12 and college or ensuring the attainment of other post-secondary credentials, and increasing their employability in higher wage, high skills jobs within high demand industries. The program also teaches participants to respect law enforcement, the law, women, school officials, and parents. Students are also exposed to valuable educational and leadership opportunities that are designed to develop and strengthen their leadership skills.