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

North Mississippi Medical Center will not offer the Summer Health Academy in 2022. Please check back for updates.

Student Volunteers

The NMMC-Tupelo Volunteer Services Department is working one-on-one to place students in the ninth grade and up in volunteer positions. Apply here.

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. All applicants need to view the Student Education Resources for COVID-19 Preparedness in order to attest that they viewed it on the orientation quiz below.

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

The NMMC Mentorship Academy is a model program created by the Mississippi Office of Nursing Workforce. The Academy targets students with interest in nursing or other health care careers. Students will be trained and mentored in a state-approved, 80-clock-hour Certified Nursing Assistant program.

The Mentorship Academy will meet from 3-4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays for six weeks beginning March 1, 2022 (skipping Spring Break week). The student will also be required to complete a two-hour shadowing session each of those weeks (to be scheduled after acceptance). The 80-clock-hour Certified Nursing Assistant Program will be held June 6-24, 2022 at ICC’s Belden campus.

Send completed application packet to capolson@nmhs.net by February 4, 2022. It should include:

Completed application
Short essay stating why you would like to participate in Mentorship Academy, how the program will benefit your future, any experience or training (including Allied Health classes, shadowing, or volunteer work) you have had in health care, and any other information you feel important to share.
2-4 letters of recommendation from teachers, managers, or other mentors
Copy of your transcript from 9th grade through the last semester you’ve completed

Interviews will be conducted February 8, 9 and 10 at NMMC (or virtual). Please be sure to check the email you provided above for further information on the date and time.

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

Health Career Scholarships

North Mississippi Medical Center is accepting applications for scholarships from graduating high school seniors in counties where NMMC-affiliated hospitals are located—Clay, Lee, Monroe, Pontotoc Tishomingo, Webster counties in Mississippi and Marion County, Ala.

Students who plan to major in a medical career, excluding dental and veterinary medicine, are eligible. Scholarships are funded by the Health Care Foundation of North Mississippi. Application deadline is March 31 unless otherwise specified.

Scholarship Application

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.

Dr. Ed Miller Memorial Scholarship

North Mississippi Medical Center-West Point offers the Dr. Ed Miller 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 Clay County high school seniors preparing to enter college and Clay County residents currently in the workforce about to embark on a second career. Application deadline is April 11, 2022.

Scholarship Application

Applicants should also submit:

A copy of your most recent transcript (3.0 GPA or higher) and ACT score
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.

Dr. Hiroji Noguchi Memorial Scholarship

North Mississippi Medical Center-West Point offers the 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. Application deadline is April 11, 2022.

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

Applicants should also submit:

A copy of your most recent transcript (3.0 GPA or higher) and ACT score
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.

Tyler Jones Memorial Scholarship

The Health Care Foundation of North Mississippi offers the Tyler Jones Memorial Scholarship to a graduating senior from his alma mater, Hamilton High School in Hamilton, Mississippi, who is pursuing a career in health care.

Tyler, who was a registered nurse at North Mississippi Medical Center-Tupelo for seven years, passed away Sept. 14, 2021, at age 27. He served as charge nurse on NMMC’s 4 South, where he made a lasting impression on his patients and coworkers.

Scholarship Application

Applicants should also submit:

A copy of your most recent transcript (3.0 GPA or higher) and ACT score
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.

Application deadline is March 31.

For more information, call (662) 377-6850 or 1-800-THE DESK (1-800-843-3375).

Contribute to the Tyler Jones Memorial Scholarship

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.

Session A: June 6-24, 2022

Session B: July 5-22, 2022

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.

When applying, search for "Physician Shadowing Summer Intern."