Youth Education & Scholarships

At North Mississippi Medical Center, our mission is to continuously improve the health of the people of our region. Our youth education and scholarship opportunities support our mission by providing opportunities for area youth to engage with our organization and gain confidence, skills and knowledge, while creating meaningful, healthy connections with positive health care career role models.

Summer Health Academy

With the aging population, health professionals will continue to be in high demand. NMMC has developed the Summer Health Academy, a workforce development program for science and technology, to help promote an adequate supply of caregivers in our community in the years to come.

Rising seventh-, eighth- and ninth-graders who are interested in pursuing a health career are eligible for NMMC's Summer Health Academy. Sessions meet from 8 a.m. until noon June 1-5, 2020, at HealthWorks!

Summer Health Academy introduces students to various health careers. Participants spend four hours each day with nurses and other health care professionals who are eager to share their expertise and enthusiasm. Because enrollment is limited, students are able to interact one-on-one with nurses, radiologic technologists, physical therapists and other health care staff.

Twenty-five students will be selected on the basis of academic achievement, community service and desire to enter a health profession. The deadline is April 6 to submit an application, transcripts and two teacher reference forms.

The fee for Summer Health Academy is $50, which includes educational materials and snacks. Tuition support is provided for public school students in Lee, Pontotoc and Union counties by the Toyota Wellspring Education Fund, a fund of the CREATE Foundation.

For more information, call (662) 377-3131 or 1-800-THE DESK (1-800-843-3375). Students who are selected to participate will be notified by April 30.

Summer Health Academy Application

Teacher Reference Form

Student Volunteer Program

The NMMC Volunteer Services Department sponsors a summer volunteer program for students who may be interested in pursuing a career in health care or who simply would like to make a difference in someone's life.

Eligible students must be 15 by June 1 of that year. Although no student can administer any form of direct patient care, they can help with comfort measures for patients and also see how the hospital works.

Two sessions will be offered: June 8-July 3 (orientation on May 27) and July 6-31 (orientation on June 24).

Application deadline is March 16. Applications are available at area school guidance offices, from the NMMC Volunteer Services Department or at the links below. Each student will need to have three teachers submit a reference form.

Student Volunteer Application

Teacher Reference Form

Applicants will be interviewed and notified of selection. Students selected for the program will be assigned specific work hours and expected to keep their schedule with the exception of illness or vacation.

For more information about the summer volunteer program, call (662) 377-3131 or 1-800-THE DESK (1-800-843-3375).

Dual Enrollment Program

Sponsored by Northeast Mississippi Community College and NMMC, and funded by the Toyota Education Endowment, this dual enrollment course involves weekly online instruction combined with several days onsite at NMMC for job shadowing, lecture and mentoring. The program is limited to juniors and seniors from Lee, Pontotoc and Union counties. Students receive academic credit from their high school and NEMCC. For more information, contact Kristy Luse at the CREATE Foundation at (662) 844-8989 or kristy@createfoundation.com.

Job Shadowing

Interested in a career in health care? NMMC offers job shadowing in various fields. You will have the opportunity to observe firsthand what a career in health care is like and gain a better understanding of your own interests and how they fit into your future career path.

Participants must be at least 16 years of age and submit all required documentation along with the shadowing application to the Student Experience Navigator at capolson@nmhs.net.

Job Shadowing Application

Shadowing Orientation

Shadowing Orientation Quiz

All applications must be submitted by the 20th of the month prior to desired shadowing date. Each applicant may shadow up to 12 hours per calendar year. Every effort will be made to place you according to your requested department, dates and times. You will be notified of any additional requirements needed before the start of the experience.

Mentorship Academy

Mentorship Academy meets from 2-4 p.m. on Tuesdays for six weeks, March 16-April 20, 2021, for class lecture, guest speakers and life skills. Participants will also schedule a job shadowing experience once per week. Participants will be provided a uniform to wear to NMMC.

Participants who successfully complete NMMC’s Mentorship Academy will receive certified nursing assistant training this summer. This training will prepare participants for the certification examination and a career in health care. The 80-clock-hour Certified Nursing Assistant Program will be held June 14-25 at Itawamba Community College’s Belden campus.

Interested students should complete the following application and submit the requirements listed to Cora Polson in the NMHS Education Department by Feb. 19, 2021.

Interviews will be March 2-4 at North Mississippi Medical Center (or virtually). Emails will be sent with an interview date and time.
The cost to participate in the Mentorship Academy is $101, which covers the cost of the Certified Nursing Assistant training and certification. This cost will be refunded if the participant successfully completes both phases of the program and passes the certification exam.

Mentorship Academy application

The NMMC Mentorship Academy is made possible by a grant from the Bower Foundation. For more information, call (662) 377-6850 or (662) 377-3245 or 1-800-THE DESK (1-800-8430-3375).

Health Career Scholarships

North Mississippi Health Services offers Health Career Scholarships to graduating high school seniors who plan to major in a medical career and live in Lee County.

Scholarship application

After completing a semester at an accredited institution of higher learning in a medical major field of study, the recipient will send official grades and will be reimbursed for $500 for each for four semesters (for a total of $2,000). The student signs an agreement to remain in a medical major and in the accredited institution maintaining a status of good standing and a 2.5 GPA.

The recipient is not required to apply for NMHS employment as a condition of the scholarship.

Scholarship applications are due by March 26.

Participants who provide a completed application will be notified by email of their interview appointment time. For more information, call (662)-377-6850.

Jim Spruiell Memorial Scholarship

Health Care Foundation of North Mississippi offers the Jim Spruiell Memorial Scholarship for individuals who are pursuing a career in emergency health care. Recipients can be high school seniors preparing to enter college or individuals currently in the workforce about to embark on a second career. Eligible applicants must live or work in counties served by North Mississippi Health Services.

Scholarship requirements

Scholarship application

Application deadline is March 31, 2020.

Dr. Hiroji Noguchi Memorial Scholarship

North Mississippi Medical Center-West Point offers the first Dr. Hiroji Noguchi Memorial Scholarship for individuals who are pursuing a career in health care.The scholarship is being administered by the Health Care Foundation of North Mississippi for high school seniors in Clay County schools.

Friends and colleagues of Dr. Noguchi established the scholarship shortly after his death on Oct. 4, 2019. Dr. Noguchi joined the NMMC-West Point medical staff in June 2017 after moving to this area from Honolulu, Hawaii, where he practiced for 18 years. For more information, call (662) 495-2141 or 1-800-THE DESK (1-800-843-3375).

Scholarship Application

Scholarship Flier

Applicants should also submit:

A copy of your most recent transcript (3.0 GPA or higher)
Three sealed letters of recommendation from high school instructors, employers, clergy or other community members
A 350-word essay stating your reason for choosing a health career and what you have done to prepare yourself to be successful in that career.

Physician Shadowing

The Physician Shadowing Program at North Mississippi Medical Center provides a three-week, immersive, hands-on experience for pre-med students aspiring to a career in medicine. This program is tailored to students who have completed at least three years, junior equivalent, of college.

Students will engage with physicians and other hospital staff in various specialties, learning about everything from anatomy to bedside mannerisms. This experience has been designed to better prepare students for medical school, provide insight into what physicians do and why, and may help guide students toward a particular specialty. The program also shows the students local practice opportunities.

Each student receives hourly compensation, a lab coat, and other support materials. This program is funded by the Health Care Foundation of North Mississippi through the Dr. P.K. Thomas Endowed Scholarship Fund.

During the three-week program, students will have the opportunity to shadow in specialty areas such as Cancer Care, Center for Digestive Health, ER, clinics, Family Medicine Residency Center, Heart and Vascular Institute, Hospitalist, Inpatient and Outpatient Surgery, Internal Medicine, Pathology, Radiology and Women’s Hospital.Interested students may apply at www.nmhs.net/careers AFTER February 1, 2020. When completing the application, select NMHS (North Mississippi Health Services) as the facility. Next, select “Physician Shadower” as the position you are applying for.

Program dates for 2020 are June 8-26 and July 13-31. If accepted, applicants must be available for work during the entire three-week period. Deadline to submit all applications is April 12, 2020. In addition to your application, please submit the following items:

Written statement expressing why you aspire to become a physician and how shadowing a physician could be beneficial to you
previous experience in health care such as job shadowing, volunteer work, internship, employment, etc.
Two recommendations from an instructor, manager/supervisor and/or peers
Recommendations are managed through Checkster, our reference-checking tool. Upon completion of your application, you will receive a link via email that will provide you with instructions on how to complete your recommendations.
Official college transcript

Please submit packet to:
NMMC Human Resources
Attn: Rosalyn Campbell
830 South Gloster Street
Tupelo, Mississippi 38801

Online application