Loudoun Students Attend Job-For-A-Day Program

“What do you want to be when you grow up?”

It’s an all-too familiar question for high schoolers. But how many get the chance to actually try it out for a day?

Over 350 area Loudoun County High School juniors had an opportunity to explore various fields of work on Wednesday, at the 10th Annual Job-For-A-Day Program. The event was sponsored by Loudoun County Public Schools and the Loudoun School-Business Partnership Executive Council.

Participating businesses and organizations included AOL, Lockheed Martin, Fairfax Fire and Rescue, the Central Intelligence Agency, as well as Inova Loudoun Hospital Center.

“The job for a day program provides high school juniors a great opportunity to experience a career of their choosing and can help shape their direction as they consider their future education, “ said Al Nielsen, chair of the Loudoun School-Business Partnership Executive Council and vice president of Corporate Services at AOL.

Loudoun’s Inova Hospital placed 75 students for the program and each one was able to pick an area of interest such as the Birthing Inn, Pediatrics, the Heart and Vascular Institute and general surgery.

Ann Clark, who attends Loudoun County High School in Leesburg, enjoys her AP Chemistry class and wants to do something medically related as a career, either as a pharmacist or physical therapist.

Clark said her career day, spent in the Physical Therapy Department, was rewarding because she was able to observe interactions with patients. 

Clark said she also learned about the differences between occupational therapy and physical therapy and how they overlap.

“I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but today is helping me see what it is like,” she said. "I have never been in a hospital setting before. This was a great experience.”

Paolo Dugo, a student at Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn, is interested in becoming an anesthesiologist.

Dugo watched a stent procedure on someone who had a mild heart attack. He observed and learned how the monitors work while seeing the heart pumping.

“It was very exciting,” Dugo said.  He was shadowing Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist Shondra Jones in the Inova Heart and Vascular Institute.

Dugo said Jones was incredibly helpful in instructing him.

“The experience today has been very hands on,” he said. “Any question that I asked she was willing to answer. You can say that this is what you want to do, but to actually be involved for a day really gives you a feel of the job.”