Caitlin Steele, a Senior at Hamburg Area High School, is getting a head start on her future career pathway through Reading Hospital Medical Health Program, (Referred to as MHP). This all started when Mr. Spohn walked into her Sophomore English class and mentioned this new health program. “That peaked my interest and when now Hamburg alumni Josie Keith got accepted, I talked to her about the program ALL the time.” Caitlin explains her passion for the health field started her Freshman year of high school, “I figured out the medical field was for me sometime my freshman year and was so eager to take anatomy and physiology at school.” 

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This passion turned into something attainable with her programs at Penn State Berks, “I absolutely LOVE my bioethics class at Penn State Berks. It’s a much higher level of thinking and discussion in the classroom and I really enjoy the challenge.” She attends classes every morning at Penn State Berks and on Fridays gets the chance to work at the Reading Hospital hands on. “This is a great experience to see if this is something I’m serious about.” Putting on scrubs and jumping into the hospital lifestyle feels mature and exciting Steele explains, “Fridays are something every student in the program looks forward to.” This privilege comes along with a lot of hard work. With taking expensive classes at Hamburg, like AP Calculus. Caitlin explains an average week, “The first 4 periods of my day I spend at MHP. Monday and Wednesdays are at Penn State Berks, Tuesday and Thursday are at the Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences, and Friday’s we shadow at the hospital. When I get back to school I have global studies, gym, AP calculus, and I’m taking online gym at Penn State Berks along with an online English class. 

Steele has thought a lot about what she will choose to do in the choice the medical field has, “My future goal is to get my BSN in nursing and possibly continue my education and become a nurse practitioner.” Her advice to underclassmen is to ask students in MHP about the program and they would be glad to meet with students and give them the inside scoop on the extensive and impressive program it is.