DOZENS of secondary pupils from across the region have been given a taste of life working in health and social care.
They took part in Dumfries and Galloway Health and Social Partnership’s work experience week.
Medicine, laboratory science, Care, IT and estates were just some of the areas where the 91 youngsters were working – getting to sit in on everything from tooth extractions to surgeries.
Freya Pardoe from Lockerbie Academy was in medicine and she said: “I thought my work experience was phenomenal.
“I had the absolute best time, I was so thankful to everyone I worked with, and it’s confirmed to me that medicine is the path that I want to take in my career.”
Sharon Williams from Dumfries Academy was working in administration within general practice, and she said: “Before doing this programme I always thought that the main roles in the hospital were just the doctors and the nurses – I never really appreciated the rest of the staff.”
Others were placed with health care support workers within the community, within the dental centre, within human resources, IT, administration, home teams, medical physics, recruitment and Support services, and alongside pharmacists, ophthalmologists, public health workers, radiologists, practice educators, nurses and allied health professionals such as physiotherapists, speech therapists and occupational therapists.
NHS Dumfries and Galloway workforce manager Vic McDade said it was a great week, adding: “Hopefully this week gave them a taste of what life might be like after school, and the very many fantastic and varied career opportunities the NHS can offer them.
“And with a bit of luck, a good number of the pupils who we’ve welcomed will go to choose a career within health and social care – and they’ll perhaps go on to work in those roles within Dumfries and Galloway.
“I’d like to thank everyone who took part, and the schools who support this. I’d also like to thank our amazing staff for helping to make these young people feel welcomed and appreciated as they’ve got involved in so many areas of our work.”
