A HEALTHY LEARNING EXPERIENCE

Bethany L. Zembiec is an example of what many health care facilities are looking for: a local student interested in entering the field and possibly returning to the north country for employment.

Miss Zembiec, an 18-year-old senior in the South Jefferson Central School District, is one of five Jefferson County students nearing the end of their 100-hour internships at a medical or dental facility.

"Each said they'd be willing to come back and work in the area," said Tracy L. Leonard, Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization pipe-line outreach coordinator. "They do realize it's a shortage area, and realize jobs will be available."

The health planning organization has teamed with the Northern Area Health Education Center, Canton, and the Northern New York Community Foundation, Watertown, to provide the internships for the students.

The health education center received a $100,000 grant last year from the state Department of Labor to start the program. A $3,575 grant from the community foundation covers the $7.15-an-hour wages for each of the interns.

Anita M. Merrill, health education center director, said the federal funding was available only this year, and the center is looking for financial aid to continue the program next year.

The time Miss Zembiec has spent at Aqua Dental in Price Chopper Plaza has reassured her that becoming a dentist is her top career choice.

"There was a couple of days that the assistant was out of the office on vacation during school break, and I went in a full day," she said. "I was able to do pretty much everything she did, and take over a lot of parts."

She said she's even been invited to return to Aqua Dental during summer breaks from college if she needs additional internship hours. Miss Zembiec was one of 12 people selected for the University of Buffalo's School of Dentistry program.

She said she developed an interest in dentistry since she had "a lot of dental work done as a child."

"When I was a junior, and in the dentist office, I just thought this was something I'd like to do," she said.

In the next few weeks, the five students will end their internships.

While interning at Aqua Dental, Miss Zembiec has learned how to develop X-rays and has been allowed to work directly with the dentists when they're with patients. She also sets up exam rooms.

Ms. Leonard has been Miss Zembiec's and the other students' case manager.

The program was designed to promote the available local educational programs for health careers as well as jobs within Jefferson, Lewis and southern St. Lawrence counties.

"We want to use this as a tool to grow our own, and we hope they get their education and they will come back to the community," Ms. Leonard said. "It will be helpful for them for when they do come back to work in the area because they're establishing those relationships."