Pilot Education Partnership with Ridgeview Medical Center

Ridgeview Medical Center and Waconia High School are partnering to introduce students career opportunities in health care. During the 2018–2019 school year, students from Waconia High School’s 10th grade Cell Biology course went to Ridgeview Medical Center for an extended class period. The purpose of the program is to connect curriculum from the biology class to real-world applications.

The idea is for students to begin discovering areas of interest that may prompt them to take additional medical-related classes in high school and beyond. There is also the potential for job shadows and/or volunteer opportunities. 

Students learned how the original location, Nagel Hospital, has grown from those humble beginnings to now employing 2,200 people in a system of 14 clinics and three hospitals.

Students heard from a variety of Ridgeview employees, including, Mike Phelps, president and CEO, along with representatives from materials management, rehab specialties, nutrition services, clinics, IT, and business intelligence. Now that the pilot program has been completed, Waconia High School and Ridgeview Medical Center plan to offer this experience to students again in the fall of 2019.