Local Students Tour Hospital, Learn About Careers in Health Care

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla., June 29, 2017 On June 23, high school students from Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in New Smyrna Beach visited Florida Hospital New Smyrna to learn about health care careers. The students were part of a program called Save Our Daughters and Sons, a church program dedicated to helping youth determine their career interests. This was the first time we were able to do a tour of this magnitude. As a local pastor, this was a match made in heaven, to be able to visit a faith based hospital in our community, said Reverend Jeffrey Dove of Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church. Florida Hospital is one of Central Floridas leaders in the healthcare industry and is well respected. To be a part of that long legacy, I think this visit means a lot to the students, and it means a lot to me. Upon their arrival, students were welcomed by Florida Hospital New Smyrna CEO Ken Mattison who provided an overview of pursuing careers in health care. Additionally, students heard from Robie Robinson, Florida Hospital New Smyrna cardiopulmonary director, on the hospitals smoking cessation programs. Following the presentations tours of various departments throughout the hospital were provided. It was such a blessing to show the students the different career options within the healthcare industry. It is never too early to get inspired. Once you have a career path in mind, you are more driven through school and can perhaps avoid any stumbling blocks that some teens run into, said Megan Bowes, Florida Hospital New Smyrna patient experience director. As adults, when you do the same job day-in and day-out, it can sometimes feel pretty routine. But it was amazing to see how engaged the students were, and the magic they saw in what goes on behind the scenes of healthcare. About Florida Hospital New Smyrna Florida Hospital New Smyrna is a member of Adventist Health System, a faith-based health care organization with 45 hospital campuses and 8,200 licensed beds in nine states, serving more than 5 million patients annually. With a mission to extend the healing ministry of Christ, Florida Hospital New Smyrna has 112-beds and is one of the seven Florida Hospitals in Flagler, Lake and Volusia counties that composes the Florida Hospital Central Florida Division - North Region. As the largest hospital system in the area, the Florida Hospital Central Florida Division - North Region has 1,226 beds and more than 7,800 employees. For more information about Florida Hospital New Smyrna, visit www.FHNewSmyrna.org.