MUSCLE SHOALS - The 20 students participating in Wendy Willingham's health science clinicals class at Muscle Shoals High School got a firsthand look at how various departments work at a hospital.

They attend three-week rotations in the various departments at Helen Keller Hospital, including emergency, physical therapy, pharmacy, dietary, pathology, nursing units, radiology, respiratory therapy and labor and delivery.

The students don't just observe. They change into gray scrubs specially monogrammed for their class and, depending on staff availability, could help with tasks.

The students have one day a week of class work at the school, and on the other four days, they spend the last part of their school day observing at the

hospital.

Three of the students are doing observations at other facilities, including Tennessee Valley Animal Hospital and the offices of Dr. Darrin Bowling and Dr. Larry Stutts.

For some, the experience has confirmed their desire to work in a health care environment.

For others, the class has shown them what they don't want to do as a career.

Still, there are others, such as 11th-grader Charlie Smith, who said the class has helped him decide more specifically the type of medical career he wants.

"I know I want a regular job, with regular hours and not one that is going to consume every minute of my time," Smith said, adding that he's considering a career in pathology.

"I just know it's a very important job, and I'm glad to be learning more about it."

Helen Keller Hospital recruiter Courtney Yarber said the program gives students insights into the many aspects of health care, but also helps the

hospital.

"We see it as an opportunity to give the students this experience, and one day, if they do chose a career in health care, they may work for us," she said.

Yarber said Deshler and Covenant Christian high schools offer similar programs involving clinical work for students.

"It's a win-win for everyone," Yarber said.

Willingham said students in her health science internship program are expanding their knowledge from an earlier prerequisite course, foundations of health science.

That introductory course prepares students for the terminology they'll hear and sights they'll see at a hospital.

The students must have at least an 85 grade average to be eligible for the clinicals course.

"These students are the ones who truly are thinking about health care and want to make that determination, one way or the other, now," Willingham said.

Eleventh-grader Christina Daniel said she's pretty much already ruled out health care as a career.

"The first day, a woman died. I saw a heart attack victim and a 4-year-old brought back to life," she said.

Senior Michelle Nesbitt said the course has helped confirm her resolve to become a nurse practitioner. Nesbitt is in a rotation on the pediatric floor.

"I was seriously considering being a nurse practitioner before, and now I really want to do it."

Pam Bryant, the hospital's human resources director, said the students use the opportunity to see what jobs are available in the health care field.

"They're often surprised," Bryant said. "Our hope is that they decide they want to pursue one of these elements as a career."

Lisa Singleton-Rickman can be reached at 750-5735 or lisa.singleton-rickman@timesdaily.com.