A group of students from Jonesboro High School visited Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) on November 14 to learn about a range of healthcare career options beyond nursing. The visit was organized by Jessica Poole, a healthcare science teacher at Jonesboro High School, who had previously brought students to GGC.
Dr. Paula Gordon, interim dean of GGC’s School of Health Sciences, explained the purpose of the event. “It’s rewarding for us to show students that yes, nursing is a great career, but there are other healthcare options that are just as fulfilling,” said Gordon. “We offer bachelor’s degrees in and . Within health science, students can choose concentrations in public health or patient navigation.”
Patient navigation is one of the newer programs at GGC and is not widely available elsewhere. Patient navigators assist individuals as they move through the healthcare system and help them access legal, financial, and social resources.
Poole emphasized the hands-on nature of the tour. “I brought a group of students last year,” she said. “What makes GGC’s tour so impactful is that students are exposed to what they would be doing in college in a hands-on environment. This is the best college tour.” She also mentioned her daughter currently studies business at GGC with an interest in working on the business side of healthcare.
For some visiting students like Hajiratou Bah, a senior at Jonesboro High School, the experience confirmed their interest in pursuing healthcare careers. “I really enjoy helping people and the chance to make a difference in the world,” Bah said. “I’m really considering GGC because of how dedicated the teachers are and what I can learn here.” Bah aspires to become a cardiovascular surgeon: “I have cousins who are nurses and nurse practitioners, but I want to be the first doctor in my family,” she added.
During their visit, students participated in activities designed to simulate real-life scenarios such as experiencing mobility challenges faced by seniors, practicing personal protective equipment procedures, swaddling newborns, and becoming familiar with hospital room settings.
Dr. Margaret Corvidae, assistant professor of health science and interim chair of the Health Sciences Department at GGC stated: “We want to give these students a taste of what it looks like to be a nurse or a patient navigator,” Corvidae said. “We design these tours so students have plenty of opportunities for interaction and can gain patient perspectives.”
The event also involved current GGC student ambassadors like Theodore Massou, who shared his perspective with visitors. “It’s great to see these students dip their toes into nursing and healthcare,” Massou said. “It’s inspiring to see these students experiencing joy, and it has given me the chance to see what I’ll be doing once I get into the nursing program.” He described how his own interest began after having surgery as a child: “I had to have surgery, and I remember how nice and compassionate the nurse was with me,” he recalled.
Massou later dual-enrolled at GGC while still in high school which furthered his interest in nursing: “Nursing involves a lot of science, which is another subject I like a lot,” he said. “I really enjoy the smaller class sizes because you can connect with your classmates and professors. The campus is beautiful, the professors are nice and there are a lot of resources here for students.”
