Job Shadow Program at Souhegan Gives Students Real-World Experiences

Jeanne Neverisky 

Souhegan High School students in Anatomy and Physiology classes are putting their knowledge “to work”.

This year, each student in the course is required to observe work with a professional in a field that uses biology, anatomy or physiology expertise. Teacher Anne Clifton Waite was eager to incorporate professional work-exploration into her Anatomy and Physiology classes.

The students work with Jeanne Neverisky, SHS Job Shadow Program Coordinator, to find a site or to work out necessary details.   Career and Service Coordinator Maggie Paul and SHS guidance counselor Tim Cotreau had the idea for a Job Shadow Program at SHS, as a way to fulfill part of the NH Scholars initiative;  Jeanne Neverisky created the program.

Students benefit from the active experience of learning in the work place, seeing knowledge and skills put to use that complement their classroom learning.  Benefits include not just career selection (rule-in or rule-out are each valuable) but also applied learning—understanding how their classroom learning is useful and why.   

Students can select a career that interests them.  The students’ observation fields are diverse as forensic science, hospital nursing, and bioengineering.  Each student is encouraged to consider what they might like to do. Some students have a family connection to a professional and use that route to secure an observation.  Others need to establish a connection, and that’s where Jeanne and Anne can help.  

Several students are observing doctors, nurses, radiologists and x-ray techs at SNHMC; a few have spent their shadow day with a doctor in private practice or a hospital setting.  Parent permission at those sites is required for students under 18.

“In a hospital setting, one thing we have discovered is that an observer needs to be up to date on their inoculations.  Students find that they must agree to comply with safety standards and get parent permissions in advance.  This requires planning ahead—also a good skill to reinforce for students”, Jeanne Neverisky notes.   Students need to dress professionally for their setting and in the case of medical observations, need to become aware of patient-confidentiality rules.  Job-related diversity-training was a requirement for one student.

Some students are observing physical therapists in the area; Hampshire Hills has hosted a student with a personal trainer, SHS Alum McKinley Curro. Forensic science at the state crime lab and even a medical case currently in court bring in other aspects of the medical field. Student Bryce Knight spent a morning on the farm of Temple-Wilton Coop, learning about the animals, land and managing a CSA in the community.

An unexpected outgrowth of the program was a Skype interview with a researcher at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.  The student could not get to the site, so Jeanne arranged a Skype session with the director of the lab, Dr. Dawn Steadman.

All students in the class learned something from this interaction.

As part of the job shadow day, mentors share with students the story of how they came to this career.  Was it a direct path, or one that resulted from a journey?   Stories of personal career journeys can help young people see themselves in the future.   Mentors also share what kind of education may be required for a job, and the outlook for work in their field.   Among other important aspects to consider are the personality traits and interests one brings to the work.  Host-mentors are an invaluable source of information and inspiration for the students, opening an unknown world for students.

Any student at Souhegan can take advantage of this program, not just Anatomy and Physiology students.  

The school is actively seeking and welcoming professional contacts in the community for job shadow students, to help expand the program.   Please contact Jeanne Neverisky or Maggie Paul at Souhegan High School, or email at jneverisky@sprise.com for more information.