This year, over 800 kindergarteners from Mercer County elementary schools, as well as students from Versailles Elementary School in Darke County and several homeschool cohorts in the area, attended Mercer Health’s Play Hospital. For nearly 30 years, Mercer Health has invited local kindergarten students to attend Play Hospital, an interactive program for young students to learn about healthcare and tour the hospital among other fun stops to learn about handwashing, healthy choices, surgery, and more.
The program allows kids to engage with healthcare professionals and explore the hospital environment in a safe and fun way. “We loved having our local students here to visit with us,” said Mindy Kremer, Vice President of Development, Marketing, and Communications. “Our goal is to make the hospital seem like a less scary place if they have to come visit us, and for the kids to have fun and learn something new about the healthcare field.”
Earlier this spring, Mercer Health also hosted a Medical Explorers program. This program allows freshman and sophomores from area schools to visit Mercer Health for an opportunity to explore volunteer positions and future career paths. They also learn more about their local healthcare system and its impact on the local community. Through these programs, Mercer Health aims to educate young people about the importance of healthcare and inspire them to pursue careers in the field.