Health Science Students Attend Methodist Midlothian Symposium

**Health science symposium draws 200 students to Methodist Midlothian**

Sarah Mills | GlobalBeat

About 200 Texas high school students attended the Methodist Midlothian Health Science Symposium on Tuesday to explore careers in medicine and nursing.

The event featured hands-on simulations, career panels with medical professionals, and tours of the hospital’s emergency and surgical departments.

Midlothian ISD students are learning about careers in healthcare as the industry faces a critical staffing shortage. The symposium aimed to show students the different jobs available in medicine and the education requirements for each.

Methodist Midlothian Hospital CEO Scott Sills told the students that healthcare jobs are expected to grow 13% in North Texas over the next decade. “We need more young people to consider healthcare careers,” he said during the opening remarks in the hospital auditorium.

Students rotated through stations where they practiced CPR on mannequins, learned to take blood pressure, and watched nurses demonstrate IV insertion techniques. Tiffany Jenkins, a senior at Midlothian High School, said the emergency room tour was eye-opening. “I never realized how many people it takes to run a trauma case,” she told GlobalBeat.

The hospital’s medical staff shared career advice with the students throughout the day. Emergency physician Dr. Marcus Williams explained the path from high school to medical school can take 8-12 years. “But if you’re passionate about helping people, it’s worth every minute,” he said.

Nursing staff showed students the different technology used in patient care. Lindsay Carson, a registered nurse in the intensive care unit, demonstrated how monitors track vital signs. “Modern healthcare is high-tech and high-touch,” she explained. “You need both the technology skills and the people skills.”

Students from Midlothian Heritage and Midlothian High School attended the symposium during school hours. The district’s career and technical education coordinator Angela Davis said events like these are crucial for student planning. “Many of these students have never been inside a hospital before,” she said.

The symposium highlighted multiple career paths beyond doctor and nurse. Hospital human resources director Mike Thompson spoke about medical coding, radiology technicians, and surgical technologists. “A four-year degree isn’t required for many well-paying healthcare jobs,” he noted.

Hospital administrator Rebecca Murphy organized the event. She said Methodist Health System plans to expand the program to other campuses. “This partnership with local schools helps build our future workforce,” Murphy stated.

Students responded enthusiastically to the interactive elements. James Rodriguez, a junior interested in becoming a paramedic, practiced on ambulance equipment. “Getting to use the real tools makes a huge difference,” he said.

Background

The healthcare industry faces a severe worker shortage that began during the COVID-19 pandemic and continues today. Many nurses and technicians left the profession due to burnout and stress from treating coronavirus patients, creating thousands of unfilled positions across the country.

Texas had a nursing shortage before the pandemic that has only worsened. The Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies predicts the state will need more than 60,000 additional nurses by 2030 to meet population growth and healthcare demand.

Methodist Health System operates 14 hospitals in North Texas and employs over 11,000 people. Midlothian ISD serves about 9,400 students and offers career-focused programs in health science, business, and technology.

What’s Next

Methodist Midlothian plans to host another health science symposium next spring. The hospital is also developing a summer internship program for high school seniors interested in healthcare careers, with applications opening in February.