Immokalee Foundation and Physicians Regional Create New Healthcare Education Initiative

The Immokalee Foundation and Physicians Regional embark on a new initiative to prepare young people for successful careers in healthcare.

As part of an exciting new education initiative, Physicians Regional Healthcare System has stepped up to provide funding and hands-on experiential learning opportunities to support The Immokalee Foundation’s Healthcare Pathway.

Physicians Regional will begin by underwriting the costs associated with the Foundation’s Healthcare Summer Camp at Florida Gulf Coast University. Beneficiaries include 40 Foundation students, ages 14-17, interested in careers in pediatrics, nursing, emergency medicine, anesthesiology, endovascular neurosurgery, occupational therapy, audiology and more.

The healthcare system will also host 12 interns at their Pine Ridge and Collier Boulevard hospitals this summer. Participating Immokalee Foundation students, all rising high school seniors, will have the opportunity to shadow health care professionals in various specialties while participating in medical-office-support activities.

The effort is a part of The Immokalee Foundation’s innovative Career Pathways Program, a comprehensive educational approach that breaks new ground in preparing students for professional careers. In addition to Healthcare, pathways include Business Management & Entrepreneurship, Education & Human Services, and Engineering & Construction Management.

Plus, in support of the Foundation’s robust Mentor program, Physicians Regional will match students in the Healthcare and Business Management & Entrepreneurship Pathways with staff members best suited to enhance their individual educational journeys.

“Our alumni are already working throughout Southwest Florida as physicians, nurses, physical therapists, technicians and more—and we’re committed to adding to the talent pool. This new initiative with Physicians Regional will be instrumental in helping us scale our existing Healthcare Pathway Program to better meet the growing demand for health care professionals now and in the years ahead,” says Noemi Y. Perez, President and CEO of The Immokalee Foundation.

The initiative will provide a pipeline of talent to address the critical need for skilled health care professionals as Southwest Florida’s population continues to boom. What’s more, the program provides a pathway to success for students in the Immokalee area.

“Over the last several years, Physicians Regional has made significant investments in infrastructure, staff and service offerings in anticipation of the future health care needs of an ever-expanding Southwest Florida,” says Scott Lowe, Market CEO of Physicians Regional Healthcare System. “This exciting new education initiative with The Immokalee Foundation doesn’t just represent a win-win for these very dedicated students and our team, but it’s also a win for our region’s patients. Just as our collective health care needs will increase in the future, these amazing young men and women are preparing today to be there for all of us when the time comes.”

The Immokalee Foundation has focused on education, career readiness and professional development for more than 30 years. This year alone, more than 1,300 students will benefit from programs aimed at kindergarten through postsecondary education.

For more information on The Immokalee Foundation and its innovative educational programs, call 239-430-9122 or visit immokaleefoundation.org.

FEATURED PHOTO: Students from The Immokalee Foundation’s Healthcare Pathway pose with Scott Lowe (3^rd from the left), Market CEO for Physicians Regional Healthcare System.

About The Immokalee Foundation

For more than 30 years, The Immokalee Foundation has been preparing the next generation of leaders through a 100% focus on education, career readiness, and professional development for students in Immokalee–from kindergarten to postsecondary education. The Immokalee Foundation offers new pathways to success and financial independence through robust programming that prepares students for well-paying, in-demand professional careers in Business Development & Entrepreneurship, Education & Human Services, Engineering & Construction Management and Healthcare. For additional information, call 239-430-9122 or visit immokaleefoundation.org.

About Physicians Regional Healthcare System

Physicians Regional Healthcare System’s three Naples hospitals provide quality care to the Naples and the greater Southwest Florida community with the objective of offering more options and improved access to healthcare for all citizens and visitors. Three Naples hospitals and more than 300 physicians are recognized within their fields, offering advanced medical care in more than 45 specialties and subspecialties, including programs in 24-hour emergency care, cardiology, vascular disease, digestive diseases, research, orthopedic care, spine care, neurosurgery, and women’s services. For more information about Physicians Regional Healthcare System visit www.physicians regional.com. For information, contact Brittney Thoman at 239-304-4805 or Brittney.Thoman@physiciansregional.com.