Lincoln East High School senior Emma Yin has career goals that most of her classmates likely haven’t even heard of.
“My ultimate career goal is to become a vascular neurologist,” Emma said. “I’m really fascinated by both the psychological and biological dimensions of neurological care, but I also believe in creating equitable health care policies that can help enforce and ensure the best quality care is given to all patients.”
Before she pursues her undergraduate degrees in neuroscience and public health, before she even takes a pre-med class, Emma is getting hands-on experience in her desired field through her role as a certified nurse aide (CNA) at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals. She started as a patient nutrition technician at a local acute care hospital, and she says she quickly realized her favorite part of the job is the meaningful connection she builds with her patients while working at the bedside. This inspired her to take a nurse aide course at Madonna and receive her CNA certification last year. While many hospitals have strict age requirements in place, Madonna can hire and employ CNAs before they turn 18, giving high school students a jump start on their goals.
“I really loved the course that I took at Madonna, and I think all the amazing staff here at Madonna have helped me be able to gain really great clinical experience. I think gaining these empathetic and compassionate skills to be able to interact with patients from all walks of life is really fundamental to any possible career in the medical field.”
Because Madonna serves a diverse range of patients with a wide range of injuries or illnesses, Emma says she loves the opportunity to learn about a variety of diagnoses, and how best to care for patient populations she hopes to serve one day as a doctor.
“I think gaining more insight into the process of neuro-recovery and being able to speak with patients while they’re going through the process of neurological recovery has allowed me to gain a more holistic and broad view of what neuro-recovery looks like. I also think honoring and getting to know patients is the heart of what healthcare is.”
Emma says since starting her current role, she’s also learned how to manage her work load, time management skills and collaboration—all things she uses in both her professional and personal life.
When she isn’t caring for patients at Madonna, Emma is actively participating in Nebraska HOSA, a student organization for future health professionals that Madonna helps sponsor. She started getting involved as a freshman and now serves as Nebraska’s HOSA chapter’s vice president of partnerships. Her role includes securing collaborative opportunities for high school students to gain clinical experiences through the group’s sponsors and partnerships with local universities and hospitals throughout Nebraska.
“HOSA is incredibly valuable with building community and gaining hands-on clinical and volunteering opportunities that can help high schoolers really determine if the medical field is for them,” she said. “I think being a part of HOSA, you not only get an amazing community, but you also get to build and acquire skills that are fundamental for your future.”
For other high school students who want to pursue a career in the medical field, Emma advises taking steps now that can help you down the road—don’t wait until college.
“Prioritizing taking advanced placement courses like chemistry, biology and psychology can help you gain groundwork knowledge and excel in college-level courses,” Emma said. “I think really branching out and taking all the health science courses available at your high school can help you prepare for a future in the medical field. Also, gaining clinical experience is really important to help you determine if the medical field is a good fit for you and to just gain insight on the inner workings of health care.”
Madonna is currently hiring for CNA positions on both the Lincoln and Omaha campuses and is offering a $5,000 sign-on bonus for full-time positions and a $2,500 sign-on bonus for part-time positions. Madonna also offers a paid CNA Training Program to help you get certified and start your career.
For more information, please visit our certified nursing assistant information page.