Education and Career Pipeline

Health disparities can’t be fully addressed until the health care field includes more leaders of color who reflect the field’s diverse population. The RUSH Education and Career Hub (REACH) team works toward racial justice and health equity by removing barriers and increasing access to critical health care education programs for young people from pre-K through post-college. We partner with schools and community-based organizations to help students build skills for success in school and the workforce.

9,000 students, parents, educators and community members participated in REACH programming

200+ high school and college students prepared for careers through internships and apprenticeships

14 youth and adults entered the pilot cohort of the IT Apprenticeship program

REACH gives us hands-on help that helps us fully engage our students in science. Our partnership with RUSH is a true community partnership. They’ve helped us fund things that we wouldn’t have been able to do— building an actual science room, purchasing materials for hands-on projects, going on field trips. They’ve helped us tremendously with family engagement, finding out what parents want and bringing in workshops that are meaningful.

We’ve gone from science being on the back burner to something that’s actually integrated with reading and math. You see students engaged in STEM on a daily basis now, which didn’t used to be the case. REACH has made science come alive, going from just a few static pages in a textbook to hands-on inquiry and investigation.

Anne Berenguer, vice principal, Josiah Pickard Elementary School

One of my teachers [at Curie Metro High School] told me about the program, and I thought it was a great opportunity that would benefit me in the long run. We have virtual group meetings to learn about tools like time management and prepare us for future careers. I’m also doing a self-paced Google certification class, and last summer I spent a lot of time at RUSH in the engineering department.

I’m taking computer science right now and thinking about majoring in it — I can imagine working in an office downtown at some point, maybe doing web design.

I was amazed at how hands-on the experience at RUSH was. I got to work directly with patients in the Mother Baby Unit and Labor & Delivery; I was able to see surgery, C-sections and natural births. It really opened my eyes to different roles in the hospital. We also had a book club that taught me a lot about environmental racism and the intersection between health and race.

Next summer I hope to be back at RUSH, interning in either pediatrics or the NICU. I’m leaning toward becoming a physician assistant and eventually working in one of those areas.