Career Exploration
Experience Interior Health’s wide range of health-care careers through our career exploration opportunities
Career exploration experiences: Exciting ways to explore health-care careers
Interior Health (IH) is providing career exploration experiences for grade 10, 11 and 12 high school students, post-secondary students and community members.
Through these experiences, participants will learn about health-care career paths, experience health-care settings and receive supportive mentorship from IH host employees.
Experiences are available in a variety of departments, not including physician observation or critical care areas. Each request is assessed from an operational perspective and based on capacity available at the requested IH site.
What the career exploration experience looks like
Participants will be matched with a host employee in the department they request, and this host employee with provide them the opportunity to connect to learn more about their role. It may be a virtual or in person informational interview, a tour of the department, or an opportunity to observe them working with a patient (if appropriate).
Career exploration experiences are generally a 1-4 hour, one-time experience.
Not all departments can accommodate a job shadow experience, and each manager will determine when and how many participants their department has capacity for. No career exploration experience includes hands-on patient care.
Qualifying for career exploration
Career exploration experiences are available to participants who meet any of the criteria below:
- Grade 10, 11 and 12 high school students seeking a self-directed learning experience (not including WEX or Capstone projects)
- Post-secondary students seeking a self-directed learning experience outside of an existing curriculum requirement
- Members of the community not currently employed with Interior Health
Applying for a career exploration experience
Frequently asked questions
No. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC does not support the practice of job shadowing or observing by individuals who are not enrolled as students of health professions regulated by the Health Professions Act or Emergency Health Services Act and who wish to observe as part of their curriculum, irrespective of patient consent.
IH will provide you with a Waiver and Oath of Confidentiality. We ask that you also provide consent for us to track your career exploration job shadow experience in our database. There are three forms that you will need to sign and submit in advance of your experience. If you are under 19 years old, a parent/guardian will need to sign the forms with you.
IH does not require participants to share vaccination/immunization records to participate in a Career Exploration experience.
Participants with symptoms of respiratory (i.e., cough, fever) or gastrointestinal (vomiting, diarrhea) related issues should not attend and reschedule their career exploration experience to a later date.
Career exploration participants are required to follow the mask mandate and personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements at the site and department where they are completing their experience.
IH career seeker resources
Career Viewbook
Discover the diverse career opportunities at Interior Health. Our career viewbook provides an overview of the various fields and specialties available, offering a glimpse into the exciting possibilities that await you. Although it only scratches the surface, it will help guide you in exploring the many roles we have to offer.
Job Seeker Handbook
Whether you’re after full-time, part-time or casual work, the IH Job Seeker Handbook is designed to help you every step of the way. Inside, you’ll find:
- Tips for writing a standout resume and cover letter
- Interview preparation strategies to help you feel confident
- Step-by-step instructions on how to apply at Interior Health
- Resources to help you explore health-care careers
Additional career exploration opportunities & links
IH partners with School Districts around the IH region to provide up to date information about health-care careers through class presentations, career events, WEX, Capstone Projects, and more. Contact CareerExploration@interiorhealth.ca to find out ways for your school to get involved.
- FNHA Human Resources website
- BC Health Careers website
- Healthcare Travelling Roadshow
- Education Planner BC website
- Find Your Fit
- Take Our Kids To Work Day
- IH SLGH Enhanced Youth Volunteer Program (partnership with SD83)
- SD 73 Health Sciences Academy Health Sciences Academy - Trades and Transitions
- Okanagan College Health Care Sampler
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