Paving the Path for Professionalism

On November 18, the 10 participants of the first-ever Pennsylvania Hospital Penn Pathways Program approached the Zubrow Auditorium stage and waited in anticipation along with staff and guests in attendance. After four months of rotating and training through various departments in entry-level roles, each participant had the opportunity to apply for a full-time position in their department of choice. And now, at the program’s first graduation, the cohort excitedly awaited to announce their future career paths.

Launched this summer and supported by the non-profit Philadelphia Works, Inc., Penn Pathways partnered with Philadelphia’s Preparatory Charter School and MaST Community Charter School to recruit recent high school graduates who had an interest in health care. The participants, referred to as Pathways Program Associates (PPA), were able to explore career options through hands-on experiences in six departments – Food & Nutrition, Security, Perioperative Services, Phlebotomy, Transport, and Materials Management – where they assisted with tasks, such as preparing patients’ meals in the cafeteria, sorting and delivering materials to units, and greeting patients and visitors at entrances.

PAH’s Penn Pathways program is just one of several Penn Medicine career-building and educational initiatives. On a systemwide level, the Pathways Emerging Careers program similarly offers training and mentorship, and job opportunities, to new high school graduates throughout the organization. In addition, Penn Medicine launched the ASPIRE Program at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, allowing high school juniors to participate in interactive and hands-on sessions to learn about nursing careers. 

The Penn Pathways Program is meant to serve as a bridge to ease the transition from high school to professional settings, explained Lars Peterson, Penn Pathways Program coordinator and Patient Experience coordinator. “Starting your first job and taking on a new role can often be a challenge, especially in a fast-paced environment like a hospital,” he said. “We often checked in with the PPAs to help them through any obstacles, and it’s been exciting to see how they’ve all grown and developed in these roles.”

Many of the PPAs have expressed interest in pursuing higher education at local colleges while in their full-time positions, such as enrolling in nursing school to eventually serve in more clinical roles.

“The program has given the PPAs direction, or redirection, that they weren’t expecting,” said Catherine Bordelon, Penn Pathways Program coordinator and Human Resources business partner. “Some of the participants didn’t know what they wanted to do, and now they see a future of working here at PAH, which is incredible.”

Caleb Weston, a PPA who is now a perioperative assistant, was inspired to apply to Penn Pathways by his mother, a nurse. “I didn’t have a linear path of where I wanted to go after high school, but this program really paved that path for me,” he said.

Brandon Whatley, a PPA who is now a transport associate, values the friendships he’s made with his fellow PPAs, and looks forward to continue building his network of connections in the workplace. “It was refreshing to have people I could relate to here – people my age with similar experiences,” he said. “This program has been really beneficial to me... I feel like I came out a lot stronger as a person.” 

At the inaugural graduation ceremony, each PPA’s new long-term position was revealed. The PPAs received their uniforms, and were treated to a special presentation from the graduation’s keynote speaker, Philadelphia Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson. Richardson has a lifelong connection to the hospital – she was born at PAH and her parents both worked in Phlebotomy for 35 years until retirement. In addition, as a teenager, Richardson volunteered in PAH’s Ambassador Program, similarly rotating through different units.

She presented each PPA with a congratulatory citation, supported by members of the Philadelphia City Council, to honor their achievement.

“Life is truly full circle. It was heartwarming to be back at PAH and see these students graduate from a similar program that I had been in,” said Richardson. “I can’t wait to see the program grow and see more students join careers in health care.”

Congratulations to the 2022 Penn Pathways graduates!

• Hebatullah Ali
• Mark Capezza
• Anthony Deichman
• Muhammad Goldson
• Jonathan Gordon
• Jordan Sanith
• Nysha Sutherland
• Caleb Weston
• Brandon Whatley
• Nathan Williams