Carbondale Reporter

Southern Illinois Healthcare (SIH) recently marked the completion of its 2025 High School Summer Internship Program, with 29 students from six area high schools graduating from the initiative. The program offers participants direct exposure to a range of healthcare professions by allowing them to shadow staff in departments such as surgery, respiratory therapy, rehabilitation, and intensive care.

Aubrey Bahr, a junior at Carterville High School and second-year participant in the program, described how her experience strengthened her career goals. “I got to see surgeries up close and understand what CRNAs do every day. It made me want to do this even more,” she said.

Arturo Martinez, who graduated from Carbondale Community High School, shared that his internship experiences were pivotal for his career decision. “I shadowed in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Emergency Department, cardiac cath lab and more, but I knew the ICU is where I belonged,” he said. Martinez has since started working part-time at SIH as a patient care tech while beginning his Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Jessica Vicente, an SIH HR recruiter, emphasized the importance of these programs for workforce development in the region. “We want to spark early interest and show students a future for themselves right here in Southern Illinois,” she said.

The 2025 cohort represented six high schools: Carbondale, Carterville, Benton, Marion, Goreville and Murphysboro. SIH extended congratulations to all graduates of this year’s program and expressed anticipation for their future contributions to healthcare.