Durham Public Schools Students Celebrate Opportunities to Pursue Careers in Health Care at Duke Health

A new program provides hands-on experiences and pathways

Smiling student enters room with others cheering her on.
A rising 9th grader enters the Durham Early College of Health Sciences to cheers and waving pompoms.

Even the dreary rain this past Thursday couldn’t dampen the energy and excitement as 104 rising 9th graders from across Durham County began their journey as the inaugural class of the Durham Early College of Health Sciences (DECHS). Greeted by more than 50 enthusiastic representatives and leaders from Duke, Durham Public Schools, and Durham Tech, they entered the school to raucous cheers and waving pom poms as they made their way to their homeroom classes.

DECHS is a collaborative effort between Durham Public Schools, Durham Technical Community College, and Duke Health to create pathways for students from high school into careers at Duke Health. Teachers and school administrators have been planning for this moment for many months — and for all of them, the day held meaning beyond the valuable skills and knowledge the students will learn in the classrooms. “You are starting a legacy, not only for yourself, but for your family,” said DECHS Principal Joshua Brown. “So, every single day that you come to school, we’re going to push you. We’re going to support you.”

Motivated by a desire to help

DECHS student Connor Nguyen is up for the challenge and is motivated by a desire to help people. “I think there's just something really good about caring for other people and helping other people who are struggling with illness,” he said. Nguyen first gathered with his cohort last spring during a Signing Day event at Duke.

New student Connor Nguyen (center) with, from left, JB Buxton, president of Durham Tech; Stelfanie Williams, vice president for community affairs; Anthony Lewis, superintendent of Durham Public Schools; and School of Nursing Dean Michael Relf

In the program, students have the unique opportunity to benefit from the world-class assets right here in Durham seamlessly. “Duke is part of this community and happy to join hands with other organizations and with our neighbors to support youth and families, and this is just one example of how we do that through our students, through our employees, and through our mission,” said Duke’s vice president for community affairs Stelfanie Williams. “This collaboration exemplifies Duke’s ongoing commitment to purposeful partnerships, to expanding educational and economic opportunities.”

DECHS students will earn health care credentials or associate degrees that will enable them to graduate directly into the workforce, including job opportunities at Duke Health. A recent study suggests that by 2033, North Carolina will face an estimated shortage of more than 12,000 registered nurses.

“One of the biggest challenges we have in our health care industry in the United States is a worker shortage,” said Michael Relf, dean of Duke’s School of Nursing. “And being able to get bright, talented young people like those coming to the Durham Early College of Health Sciences is a pathway into a variety of health professions. This program, particularly, is going to prepare nurses, individuals in clinical research, allied health and surgical technology.”

Meeting the worker shortage

Students will have access to multiple hands-on experiences, said Melissa Ockert, dean of Health and Wellness at Durham Tech. “We’ve developed several apprenticeships that these students will have the opportunity to enter into,” said Ockert. “Internships, all kinds of opportunities to expose them along the way, but also to help them be successful when they come into the hospital for their clinical rotations and for the work ahead.”

Caleb Foster from Duke’s men’s basketball team greets a student.

DECHS is supported by a $29.5 million grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies and is part of the organization’s first-of-its-kind, national initiative to create health care-focused high schools in 10 communities across the country. “We’re proud to support the launch of Durham Early College of Health Sciences as part of our national effort to prepare young people for high-demand careers in health care,” said Jenny Kane, who leads career technical education at Bloomberg Philanthropies. “By combining rigorous academics with real-world experience and strong local partnerships, schools like DECHS are helping students build brighter futures — for themselves and their communities.”

“[This program] is about the opportunity to impact people’s lives on a day-to-day basis.”

Ian Brown, vice president & chief employee experience officer, Duke Health

“[This program] is about the opportunity to impact people’s lives on a day-to-day basis,” said Ian Brown, vice president & chief employee experience officer, and interim associate vice president for community health at Duke Health. “As a nurse, you’re going to use not just the science skills, but the heart. Because that’s what nurses also bring – they bring the compassion, empathy and a skillset to create great experiences for people who are hurting. You’re going to be able to do that.”

Dean Relf offered words of wisdom for the students, encouraging them to “be bold. Be ambitious. Ask tough questions. Take your mind to places you could never envision going and imagine yourself in roles and positions you can’t even think about today.”