Two Illinois State University students spent their spring break shadowing providers at Warner Hospital & Health Services in Clinton, IL as part of Illinois AHEC’s Rural Health Experience (RHE) Program. During their visit, they shadowed in the emergency department, family medicine, observed surgery, and shadowed in numerous other departments while learning about the unique challenges and rewards of rural healthcare.
Kendra Bennett, a Public Health major and AHEC Scholar, said a highlight of the experience was surgery observation, where students witnessed a gallbladder removal and a laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. Kendra said, “it was incredibly interesting to watch how precise and coordinated the surgical team was, and it gave me a deeper appreciation for the skill and focus required in the operating room.” Overall, she felt the RHE was an eye-opening experience that shed light on the importance of rural healthcare and its impact on the the community.
Darien Douglass, a psychology major at ISU, loved observing the surgeries as well. He said it was, “neat to see how exactly they perform some of these surgeries; they are not done how I thought they were!” Darien also appreciated the opportunity to learn more about rural medicine in general. He described the RHE as “a fantastic experience and helps to open up your mind to all sorts of medicine pathways,” and found the communal aspect of rural medicine to be especially enjoyable.
Rural Health Experiences (RHE)
Experiences like the RHE help students gain critical job shadowing experience while exploring a variety of healthcare careers and learning about the roles rural hospitals play in their communities. Partnerships with hospitals like Warner Hospital & Health Services and our other RHE sites make it possible for students to gain firsthand exposure to rural healthcare careers and future opportunities for employment.
The Illinois AHEC Network looks forward to continuing to connect students with meaningful experiential opportunities as we strive to strengthen healthcare access across the state!
