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What is the Health Sciences Academy?
The need for qualified healthcare professionals is growing each year. The predictions for these types of positions are that they will continue to increase over the next twenty years. In an effort to combat employment shortages in healthcare professionals, a partnership was formed between Pitt County Schools, ECU Health, Eastern Area Health Education Center, Pitt Community College, East Carolina University, the Brody School of Medicine and School of Dental Medicine at East Carolina University, the Colleges of Allied Health Sciences, Engineering and Nursing at East Carolina University and the Greenville-Pitt County Chamber of Commerce. The goal of the partnership was to find a way to "home grow" the future healthcare workforce for eastern North Carolina. From this partnership, the Health Sciences Academy evolved.
Through the partnerships, students have the opportunity to job shadow, volunteer, and complete coursework and internship opportunities that will prepare them to pursue healthcare careers upon graduation. Students enrolled in any of the eight high schools within Pitt County Schools are eligible to apply for admission.
Health Sciences Academy Vision:
The Pitt County Schools Health Sciences Academy is a model education system that contributes to meeting the healthcare needs of the community by preparing students for healthcare careers.
Health Sciences Academy Mission:
The mission of the Pitt County Schools Health Sciences Academy is to prepare students to enter the healthcare workforce and/or post-secondary healthcare education.
Health Sciences Academy Partners:
Heath Sciences Academy Goals:
Students participating in the Health Sciences Academy will be able to:
- Make health career decisions suited to their individual needs, aptitudes, abilities and career objectives.
- Develop a pre-professional or pre-technical foundation that supports successful pursuit of advanced education and/or entry-level employment in a health career.
- Develop a foundation of basic skills and knowledge required for employment in a changing healthcare environment including:
- Science & mathematics
- Technology applications
- Communication skills
- Teamwork
- Professional behavior & ethics
- Analyze & problem solve
- Establish healthy lifestyle behaviors
Health Sciences Academy Experiences:
Students involved with the academy will have opportunities for unique experiences such as:
- Practical and specialized program to create a smooth transition into health career jobs and/or post-secondary education
- Development of students' talents and skills
- Tours, campus visits, job shadowing and healthcare career fairs
- Building relationships with professional mentors
- Paid internships and apprenticeships
- Clinical experiences, application, and independent studies
- Distance learning instruction and demonstrations with the medical community
- Community service - Volunteer programs
- Healthcare career institutes
- Healthcare career achievements in academic, community service and clinical applications
- High school curriculum focused on health sciences with practical applications and a wide range of health careers education preparation (from physicians to healthcare support careers)
Health Sciences Academy Program Grants:
The following grants have been awarded to the Health Sciences Academy for development and implementation of the Academy:
- Pitt County Memorial Hospital Foundation
- Objective: Scholarships
- Recipient: Vidant Medical Center, formally Pitt County Memorial Hospital
- Amount: $100,000
- North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
- Objective: Academy Implementation
- Recipient: Pitt County Schools
- Amount: $170,000
- Burroughs Welcome Foundation
- Objective: Academy Planning
- Pitt County Schools
- Amount: $20,000
- Duke Endowment
- Objective:Academy Personnel Start Up Costs
- Recipient: Eastern Area Health Education Center
- Amount: $264,000
- Gates Foundation
- Objective: High school Science Lab Technology Upgrades
- Recipient: Pitt County Schools
- Amount: $336,000
- US Department of Health and Human Services
- Objective: Allied Health Careers Opportunity Program
- Recipient: East Carolina University
- Amount: $964,000
- Greater Greenville Foundation
- Objective: Career Exploration
- Recipient: Pitt Community College
- Amount: $50,000
- Wachovia Bank Education Foundation
- Objective: High School Lab Technology Upgrades
- Recipient: Pitt County Schools
- Amount: $50,000
- Wells, West, and Perkins Trust
- Objective: High School Lab Technology Upgrades
- Recipient: Pitt County Schools
- Amount: $50,000
- Pitt County Memorial Hospital Foundation
- Objective: High School Lab Technology Upgrades
- Recipient: Pitt County Schools
- Amount: $200,000
- Greater Greenville Foundation
- Objective: Post-Secondary Academic and Tutorial Services
- Recipient: Pitt Community College
- Amount: $35,000
Total Grants: $2,217,000
