Reading Hospital - Tower Health received a prestigious award for its High School Internship Program, which helps to address gaps in career exploration opportunities through hands-on experiences. The program was one of three organizations statewide to receive the Workforce Innovators Award from The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) through its 2024 Achievement Awards.
The Reading Hospital High School Internship Program began in 2014 with six students from Reading High School. Now in its 10th year, the program has expanded to include school districts throughout Berks County. The program currently hosts 29 high school seniors, bringing the total number of students hosted from 14 local districts to 117.
Through the Internship Program, students are given the opportunity to enhance their academic, professional, and personal development. Students apply hands-on experiences to develop their knowledge and skills in real-life situations. Designed to positively influence future educational and career goals, the program is geared towards confirming students' desire to work in healthcare and serving as an encouragement and support system for students seeking careers in the sector.
“We are proud of our Internship Program and are extremely pleased with the results we’ve seen,” said Desha Dickson, Tower Health’s Vice President of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Community Wellness. “More than 30 percent of our graduates have remained engaged with the hospital through job shadowing, our college internship programs, or employment.”
The Achievement Awards started in 1978 to recognize hospitals and health systems that take innovative approaches to strengthening safety and quality of care, enhancing operations and patients’ experience, and partnering with their communities to address public health needs. Reading Hospital competed against organizations of a similar size for the Workforce Innovators Award, which celebrates hospitals engaging the healthcare workforce through projects developed to attract, develop, and retain the best workforce. Entries were scored on specific criteria including results, adaptability, and how the goal of advancing health equity was embedded in the initiative. In total, 13 organizations out of 93 entries were selected for this year’s Achievement Awards.
“We are proud to announce the winners of HAP’s 2024 Achievement Awards, showcasing innovative, patient-centered projects that are making a difference in Pennsylvania,” HAP President and CEO, Nicole Stallings, said. “Strong health systems make strong communities and hospitals are central to our shared mission for a healthy Pennsylvania.”
About Reading Hospital
Reading Hospital is the flagship, Magnet Recognized, acute care hospital of Tower Health. Located in West Reading, Pa., Reading Hospital is a 697-bed hospital that is home to many top-tier specialty care centers, including Reading HealthPlex, McGlinn Cancer Institute, Miller Regional Heart Center, Emergency Department, Level I Trauma Center and Beginnings Maternity Center, which houses the region's only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). With more than 1,000 physicians, specialists, and advanced practice providers across 49 locations, Reading Hospital has been recognized for its quality outcomes and clinical expertise across service lines. It is listed as one of America's 50 Best Hospitals for three consecutive years. For more information, visit towerhealth.org.