Utica Community Schools plans to open an academy at Utica High School next year that will put students on paths toward careers in the medical field.
The district held an informational night last month to introduce district parents to the Utica High School Academy for Health and Human Services.
The full-day academy will blend core academic subjects with a career and technical education curriculum focused on medical careers.
The district identified three career pathways that the academy will offer — rehabilitation services, public safety and therapeutic services. Rehabilitation services will concentrate on careers including personal trainers, athletic trainers, registered dieticians and occupational and physical therapists.
Public safety will involve careers such as emergency medical technicians, paramedics, firefighters and criminal investigators. Therapeutic services will focus on patient care technicians, medical assistants, registered nurses, physician assistants and doctors.
The district said that the academy will teach English, social studies, math and science courses that are aligned with state guidelines and have a medical angle to them.
Utica Community Schools Superintendent Robert Monroe said that the district tries to give students many ways to find success, and the academy will be one more option available to them.
“We are pleased to add the Utica High School Academy for Health and Human Services to our large portfolio of options.
Through this program, we will be able to meet the unique interests of students who want to explore the medical field and give them a competitive advantage to the high paying jobs in the quickly growing field,” he said via email.
The academy setting will be one of its advantages, according to Utica High School Principal Timothy Youngblood.
“The academy approach will provide our students the opportunity to explore their interests in medical studies in a smaller and more concentrated learning environment,” Youngblood said in a press release.
“Every student in this program will be working toward a common goal with a full range of courses that support their career interests and passions.”
The program will begin at the ninth grade level for approximately 90 students and will add a grade level each school year.
In addition to the curriculum, the program will provide students with a medical career exhibition in the second year, medical work experience in the lower year, and an extended internship in the upper year.
All high school students are required to submit a final project. This project includes industry-level goals through US health professions students or other goals identified by professional partners.
School District believes that the academy will increase the number of students taking out student loans while in high school through higher education and AP exams. Students may obtain accreditation through the American Heart Association. Youngblood said the county is examining job opportunities and needs locally and nationally.
“We want to create community partnerships that give our children choices. If you choose to go to medical school right out of high school, you will find a job right after graduation. If not, we will give them a great education so they can go to college. We want to try to reach as many children as possible,” he said via email.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that from 2021 to 2031 healthcare-related employment will grow 13 percent and create approximately 2 million new healthcare-related jobs, according to a county press release.
UCS worked with partners such as Ford Next Generation Learning, Project Lead the Way, Corewell Health (renamed Beaumont Health) and Macomb Community College to design the academy.
Utica High School Health and Welfare Academy will be the district’s fifth specialized high school program and the school’s second academy. Submissions started on January 20th.
Originally published at https://businessdor.com on February 8, 2023.
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