Medical Careers and Technology Pathways (MedCaT) Health Career Mentorship Program
The MedCaT Pathway is an academic-community partnership between the Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity, Center for Native Health, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and Mountain Area Health Education Center that creates a structured pathway to engage Appalachian Rural and American Indian (AI) high school students with multiple resources that support the pursuit of health and biomedical science careers.
A word from the MedCaT Mentorship Coordinator:
Chelsea Rangel
MedCaT Mentorship Coordinator
Navajo, Four Corners
“The MedCaT Mentoring Program is a collaborative initiative aimed at fostering youth engagement in healthcare fields. This program pairs high school students from partner schools with mentors, offering bi-weekly check-ins, monthly face-to-face meetings, leadership skill building, college preparedness activities, and shadowing opportunities. Through this program, we strive to create a nurturing environment that promotes academic and personal growth for future healthcare professionals.”
The Health Career Mentorship Program specifics:
Project Details: The Center for Native Health and Western Carolina University School of Nursing have created an additional partnership to support a Health Career Mentorship Program to work with MedCaT students. Through this partnership, the Health Career Mentorship Program is designed to match students attending the MedCaT Summer Academy with a future healthcare professional in order to offer them further support in Leadership Development, College and Career Preparedness, and Shadowing experiences for indirect experience in healthcare careers.
Project Deliverables: Each Mentor, once paired with a MedCaT Mentee, will receive one day of Training and two Learning Labs with our Mentorship Program Coordinator, with available financial support as needed. Mentors will go on to work with their Mentee in biweekly 30 minute phone calls, monthly in-person meetings, and an end-of-year event. Mentors will develop their and their Mentee’s skills by presenting and speaking to their peers about the program, Mentors can advise and direct their Mentee in preparing for college, assisting with college selections and adjusting to college life. Mentors will provide their Mentee with shadowing opportunities at Simulation Labs at WCU School of Nursing.
Requirements:
Strong connection to the role of Mentor
Good assessment and observation skills
Good interpersonal, relational and communication skills
Ability to work independently
Qualifications: Health Career Mentors must meet all of the following qualifications.
Enrolled in college
Enrolled in a health-related program for at least one semester
In good academic standing (minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA)
Demonstrate passion for mentoring