BULLHEAD CITY, AZ – Sixteen local high school seniors dreaming of a career in the health field will begin a two-week medical shadowing program this week at local hospitals.

The Multiple Avenues of Successful Health Care (M*A*S*H) program will provide the students a look into the traditional paths of the different health care careers that are offered at Western Arizona Regional Medical Center and Valley View Medical Center.

From the traditional paths of physicians and nursing to allied health, staff support and administrative positions, the program will give the inbound high school seniors an in-depth look into the health field.

All will have 80 hours of thorough orientation and job shadowing, said Hospice Compassus Executive Director Cindy Head, who is overseeing this year’s program. When they graduate later this month, the students will have learned how to draw and type blood and received their CPR certifications. They will also have spent time in an operating room, kitchens, medical accounting, housekeeping, plant operations and many more departments.

M*A*S*H started in 2013 with a partnership with VVMC, WARMC and the Colorado River Union High School District. Students from Clark County School District and Mohave Accelerated Learning Center joined the program in 2014, with Needles joining in 2015.

A long-standing goal is for some of the students to return to the Tri-State area after college to launch healthcare careers, said Head.

In order to be considered for the program, students needed to have a minimum 3.0 grade point average, have already taken and passed science and algebra with a B or better grade, complete a 400 word essay and provide three letters of recommendation. Each hospital is hosting eight students with one alternate. Many of the students have a 4.0 or better grade point average.

Students participating at VVMC are: Mikayla Barton, Mohave High School; Monica Houltram, Mohave High School; Blake Ising, Mohave High School; Paige Murch, Needles High School; Dailyn Ross, Mohave High School; Hanna Ward, River Valley High School; Tyler Weiss, Needles High School; Kendall Williams, Mohave High School; and alternate Regan Broz, Mohave Accelerated Learning Center.

Student’s participating at WARMC are: Amy Cervantes, River Valley High School; Jena Dupont, Mohave High School; Ashlyn Easley, Mohave High School; Madison Gutierrez, Mohave High School; Brianna Lipinksi, Mohave High School; Josephine Marsmaker, Mohave High School; Kayla Newton, Mohave High School; Samantha Sitts, Laughlin High School; and alternate Marta Ramirez, Mohave High School.

The Lake Havasu Partnership for Economic Development and Havasu Regional Medical Center created the first Tri-State area M*A*S*H program in 2012 after the initial concept was developed in Willcox at Northern Cochise Community Hospital. HRMC will also host another separate M*A*S*H program this year in Lake Havasu City.

Sponsors this year are Mohave Electric Cooperative, the BHHS Legacy Foundation, Silly Cactus and Hospice Compassus.