Students expand horizons at Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center

Dickinson County students expanded their career horizons today at the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center in Iron Mountain.

The center held its annual Career Day, offering students from area high schools and Bay College a chance to explore the variety of professions and vocations utilized there.

“When I took over this position, I started really feeling it was passionate to get out and get the students locally so that they could see what the VA is like, because so many students don’t even realize how many services we offer here,” said Lead Patient Advocate and Equal Employment Opportunity Officer Maryanne Gibler.

Those services are not limited to medical fields. Students were exposed to career paths ranging from finance to law enforcement.

“I think a lot of kids are undecided and they think the VA hospital, and they think medical careers, and they don’t realize there’s food service and human resources and accounting and all different kinds of careers that make up this facility,” Iron Mountain High School Counselor Ruth Truscott said.

“We’ve heard many, many students say that they have learned so much they’ve actually changed their career choice, and what they did is they were able to go from booth to booth and just see; radiology, is that their love? Is engineering their love?” added Gibler.

In addition to information on career topics, students toured the community living center and outpatient care units of the Medical Center.