Being able to shadow and connect with professionals in the field can make all the difference in helping young people decide whether they want to choose health care, and to identify the particular professional path they want to follow.

Host organization: Wabash General Hospital is a 25-bed critical access hospital located in Mount Carmel. In addition to inpatient and emergency care, our organization offers primary care and a variety of specialty services. Since 1951, the physicians, nurses, and staff at Wabash General Hospital have provided high-quality, compassionate, and cost-effective health care to the residents of Wabash County and surrounding communities. Working side by side with local businesses and organizations, WGH seeks to improve the lives of those in need and create a healthier place for all of us to live, work, and play. Voted one of the Best Places to Work in Illinois for five years in a row, WGH prides itself on its dedication to the employees and community in which it serves.

Area opportunities: We work with community colleges and area hospitals to provide our students with opportunities for hands-on experiences to better prepare them for a future in health care. The region is host to 12 hospitals and a variety of ancillary health care facilities.

Community partners: Illinois Eastern Community Colleges is a four-college district with locations in Mt. Carmel (Wabash Valley College), Olney (Olney Central College), Robinson (Lincoln Trail College), and Fairfield (Frontier Community College). The four institutions offer a wide range of degree and certificate programs that support career and technical education as well as providing a pathway to four-year institutions. Additional community colleges in the region include John A. Logan College in Carterville, Shawnee Community College in Ullin, and Southeastern Illinois College in Harrisburg.

Demographics: This region, with a population of 270,000, includes 17 rural and two non-rural counties. It faces many health and economic challenges. The proportion of children living in poverty is elevated in 16 counties, and twice the state average in 11. The average household income is below $50,000 in eight counties.

Local health challenges: Most counties experience shorter than average life expectancy, impaired quality of life, and poor health outcomes. Two counties are among the most distressed in the state. Residents in 18 counties reported poor or fair health, and residents of all the counties reported a large number of physically and mentally unhealthy days. Smoking rates exceed the state average in all counties. Teen births are elevated in 18 counties and twice the state average in four. Half the counties have unemployment above the state average. One county has an opioid fatality rate higher than the state average.

Our programs: Our programs and activities bring participants in touch in a practical way with health care in our underserved communities. Take a look.

Our region: From its jaw-dropping natural beauty and deep history to its unique quirks, Southern Illinois is one of the best kept secrets of the Midwest. Metropolis, Illinois – the official home of DC Comic’s Superman – hosts the world-renowned Superman Celebration in July. The beautiful 280,000-acre Shawnee National Forest boasts fascinating geological wonders, including the unique sandstone rock formations of the Garden of the Gods – one of the most-photographed locations in the state – and Little Grand Canyon. There’s rock climbing, deep water diving, and an 8.5-acre spring-fed quarry with depths of up to 120 feet that features a collection of bizarre sunken items, including a Boeing 727. Southern Illinois is home to more than 20 wineries and vineyards; festivals abound, with music, food, and parades every weekend during the late summer and fall. The town of Marion is known for its award-winning barbeque and a professional baseball team, the Southern Illinois Miners.

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