Demopolis hospital training some of the country’s future doctors
From the West Alabama Newsroom–
A shadowing program at Whitfield Regional Medical Center in Demopolis — is using small-town rural healthcare — to train some of the country’s future doctors.
The Whit Shadowing Program provides University of Alabama pre-med students — with an up close look at healthcare — in an hospital environment small enough to see how a complicated healthcare system really works.
“They may shadow a surgery or they may be at a clinic and be side by side with a physician seeing some behind the scenes in patient care with our doctors,” said Whitfield Patient Experience Director Ashley Coplin.
“We get to interact with both patients and the nurses and physicians and staff here,” said UA Pre-Med student Michael Brewer.
“We get to see not only the hospital workers but we also get to see the hospital in construction and how the hospital is trying to not only take care of its patients but improve patient experience by adding more units, improving units, getting new technology,” said Selene Tan.
Students not only get to see what each hospital department does — but also how they interact with each other — as well as work together as a whole — to treat patients.
Program participants say learning about healthcare in a rural setting — will be a major benefit for their future — since every state in the country is mostly rural.
“I found the experience very insightful,” said Tan.
“I feel like if I shadowed at maybe DCH or I’m from Atlanta so, if I shadow at the Emery hospitals over there, I don’t think I would have gotten this perspective,” said Nicole Jhun.
“Most of the problems facing healthcare that it’s going to be up to our generation to fix reside in rural healthcare. And I think that’s why programs like this across the nation are so important,” said Brewer.
The Whit Shadowing Program is in it’s 2nd year — and nine UA pre-med students are participants.
Hospital officials say six UA pre-med students took part in the program during its first year.
