Monumental Success of Pathways to Health Professions - TROY Dothan Campus

Over 200 students, chaperones and more than 20 healthcare organizations gathered for Pathways to Health Professions in the Wiregrass hosted by Troy University’s Dothan Campus on Wednesday, November 13.

Organizations represented at the event ranged from state programs, collegiate programs and local healthcare practices offered throughout the Wiregrass. These representatives were able to introduce career paths and degree paths that were previously not known to students.

Shannon Turner, a physical therapist professor at Wallace College, boasted about the various programs that are represented at the event.

“This is great exposure to a lot of different avenues in healthcare, that are not just a 2-year or 4-year degree, there are other options for them to pursue a career,” said Turner.

Students visiting with Wallace College representatives about their various degree programs

Students had the opportunity to not only talk with health educators and professionals, but also were able to interact with a few of the organizations’ simulations.

“Just being here is definitely giving them a better understanding of what is out there and what the right path is for them,” said Katrina Newman, a chaperone from Carroll High School.

Some of the demonstrations students experienced were hearing evaluations, sonography, electrical stimulation exercises, cardiac event simulations, balance, surgery simulations, pediatric simulations and microscope examinations.

Students visiting with Survival Flight's team and sitting inside their helicopter.

The event coordinators were still receiving requests to attend from various high schools in the area, but due to size restraints were forced to turn them away.

“This is our inaugural event but probably will turn into a bi-annual event and we didn’t know how this was going to go,” explained Dr. Kirk L. Davis, Chief Operating Officer for TROY’s Dothan Campus. “We have had a dozen people in the community reach out and wonder why they weren’t invited, and it’s because we had already reached capacity.”

Due to the overwhelmingly positive reaction to the event, from both educators and the community, the event organizers are planning to host this event again sometime in Spring 2025.