East Noble, in collaboration with Impact Institute, offer an array of vocational programs that some schools only dream of having. These programs promote and appreciate hands-on learning that can’t be experienced in the classroom, and most East Noble students would agree that it’s a no-brainer to take advantage of the knowledge and skills that can be aquired through an Impact vocational program while the chance is available. Programs are offered in everything from marine mechanics to cosmetology, but for those who want to pursue a career in healthcare, one of the most job-yielding fields in the world, there is Health Occupations Education.

Referred to as HOE, this program picks students from area schools to get face-to-face with any and every healthcare specialty. After 5 weeks of preparation where students learn CPR, first aid, and care skills like making beds and helping feed patients, they are assigned to what are called rotations. A student spends roughly two weeks at rotations where they get to observe, ask questions, and help the staff with their daily routines.

Some rotations can be slow, such as when the ER is experiencing a lull in cases or when the winter brings in less business to the vet’s clinic, but the other experiences make up for it. A student from Hamilton recently had the chance to assist the OB doctor at Parkview Noble in delivering a newborn baby, while several other students have observed C-section surgeries, among other general surgeries that are performed by doctors in Kendallville. Students take vitals at Occupational Health, go on runs with the EMS, help patients recuperate after surgeries in the Medical/Surgical Unit, and get right into the action as the dentists do their work at Jansen Dentistry. At the end of the year students will have gotten to experience more than 20 different healthcare facilities.

HOE is currently celebrating its 25th year as a program, so it’s obvious that it has been proven to be a well-liked and respected part of East Noble’s vocational lineup. Since it has been around for so long, the staff at the facilities are welcoming to students and want them to learn as much as possible in just 14 days.

To witness people save lives first-hand is something that cannot be replicated in a book while sitting in a classroom. On paper, there are no stories heard from the nurse in the ICU, no relationships made with patients, and no reward for helping people get back to health. Health Occupations Education offers the rare opportunity for high school students to get a leg up on their peers and know what real-life healthcare looks like. If given such an opportunity, students should jump at the chance.