Beaufort Memorial Launches Career Growth Program
May 26, 2022
On Friday, May 27, the first class of team members were welcomed into a new career development program that’s designed to help staff learn new skills, earn advanced certifications and grow their careers at Beaufort Memorial.
The program, named People Achieving Their Highest (PATH), is an innovative career development program. Based on the traditional “signing day” for college-bound athletes, 34 BMH employees announced their commitments to pursue advanced career training toward clinical medical assistant, patient care technician, electrocardiogram technician, phlebotomist positions and more.
“We are very proud to welcome our inaugural class of PATH participants into the new program,” said BMH President and CEO Russell Baxley, MHA. “We want our employees to have the opportunity to achieve their career aspirations. We are committed to investing in their long-term growth, and we believe this program will provide the resources and support to do so.”
“I want to be able to provide a more complete health care experience to our patients, and I believe the only way to do that is to continue my education,” said Kerri Lewis who is a certified medical assistant seeking to become a licensed practical nurse (LPN).
Lewis, who started working at BMH in 2015 and is a single mother with two children, tried twice to complete studies in nursing but stopped both times because the classes she needed were not offered at night when she could attend. “I saw no other way to complete (the nursing program) until the PATH program came along,” she said. “Personally, I want to show my children that there is not a limit on growth.”
Each participant was required to fill out an application and write a short essay on why they wanted to participate in the PATH program. Like Lewis, many participants are mothers. Some were inspired to seek a clinical career due to personal tragedy or a family member’s health condition. For most, they’re simply committed to service.
“I want to learn and grow and find a new way to care for people,” said Jamie Harmon who was accepted into the PATH program. Harmon, who started working at BMH in 2019, is a cook and seeks to become an electrocardiogram (EKG) technician. “I think PATH is a wonderful opportunity. There are people trying to juggle families and jobs, and they desire to further their education but feel limited. This is a good opportunity to try,” Harmon said.
Program Details
Participants will begin the program with in-person classes on June 1. The program is structured to allow staff to continue working in their current role while participating in the program.
The core curriculum was designed to streamline the process so that all of the participants can take fundamental classes together. The program will focus on:
- Classroom training: Classes will be conducted on the BMH campus using coursework developed by the National Healthcareer Association
- Clinical skills development: BMH education department staff will lead skills labs and on-the-job training
- Career-track programs: Longtime BMH educational affiliates, the University of South Carolina Beaufort (USCB) and Technical College of the Lowcountry (TCL) have partnered to allow PATH Program participants who are interested in nursing to enroll in their Registered Nurse (RN) to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program, and apply to the prelicensure BSN and Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) programs
Participants receive access to numerous resources from career counseling and in-house training to scholarships and flexible scheduling to accommodate classes.
Most notable are the available financial resources. Educational and “gap” scholarships are available to support staff members’ investment of time in their education. In addition to the scholarships, books and the cost of certification exam fees will be covered under the PATH program. A childcare stipend to help with daycare costs is also available to all participants.
During the course of the program, each participant will attend financial management workshops hosted by Regions Bank.
“We care about the financial stability of our team members,” said Baxley. “That commitment goes beyond helping them work toward a higher-paying position. We want to set them up for success in life.”
Although the first cohort of PATH participants are focused on developing into clinical roles in the organization, the program will be expanding to consist of five career “clusters”, or pathways, including: hospitality, business, support services, diagnostics/therapeutics and direct patient care.
In addition to providing opportunities for employees, the program enables Beaufort Memorial to develop its workforce, filling higher level positions from within the organization.
“Our employees are our number one resource and we are working to provide every opportunity for their advancement and continued success,” Baxley said. “Their growth and success is what will ensure our organization’s growth and success well into the future.”
Funding for the PATH program was made possible through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and the Beaufort Memorial Hospital Foundation. Local partners include Beaufort County, Beaufort County School District, TCL and USCB.
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