Chelan High School senior gains healthcare experience through hospital internship

CHELAN — Melissa Anaya, a senior at Lake Chelan High School, is gaining firsthand insight into the healthcare field through a competitive internship at Lake Chelan Health, part of her Career and Technical Education (CTE) Career Connections class.

With aspirations of becoming a labor and delivery nurse, Anaya applied for the internship earlier this year. After a formal application process, interview, and background screening, she was selected for the position, which allows her to shadow healthcare professionals across multiple departments while strictly observing patient care.

The internship program, coordinated by Lake Chelan Health Clinical Coordinator Dave Dawson and Chelan High School CTE Career Connections teacher Jeff Pearl, is highly selective, with only one internship position available. The application process mirrors that of hiring a full-time healthcare employee, and students must complete training in patient privacy, safety, infection control, and hospital procedures before beginning their rotations.

Since starting her internship in January, Anaya has shadowed staff in the rehabilitation, radiology, emergency, and laboratory departments, as well as the medical-surgical unit and the Lake Chelan Health Clinic located at 219 E. Johnson Avenue in downtown Chelan.

One of the most significant experiences of Anaya’s internship came when she received patient consent to observe a cesarean section. The experience reinforced her decision to pursue a career in labor and delivery nursing.

Lake Chelan Health emphasized its ongoing commitment to fostering educational opportunities and supporting the next generation of healthcare professionals.