Mercy Health-Lourdes Hospital in Paducah, Ky., pays pre-medicine college students to shadow its physicians and advanced practice clinicians as part of its future physicians program.
The program offers seven rotations in the medical department, four rotations in the surgery department and more than 150 observation hours over six weeks, the hospital said in a Feb. 17 Facebook post. After completing the program, participants receive a stipend.
“This program gives its participants an in-depth look into a medical career and hopes to inspire students to pursue this rewarding field,” the hospital said in a 2025 statement.
Mercy Health-Lourdes Hospital has offered the program, which accepts 10 students each summer, for nearly 16 years, according to The Paducah Sun.
Mercy Health-Lourdes Hospital is part of Cincinnati-based Mercy Health, which operates 23 hospitals across Ohio and Kentucky.
Amid worsening shortages in the healthcare workforce, numerous health systems and hospitals have launched similar programs to solidify a pipeline of future employees. Some systems run healthcare high schools, while others partner with local school districts and colleges to inspire young people to pursue a healthcare career.
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