Hazard, Kentucky (WYMT) – Students had the opportunity to explore seven different career paths in healthcare at the University Center of the Mountains (UCM) Healthcare Conference at Hazard Community and Technical College.

UCM’s Tammy Duff said:

Over 60 high school students from Perry Central, Hazard, Buckhorn and Cordia attended. Students could choose from Nursing, Physician Assistant, Medical Laboratory Science, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Dentistry, and Medical Schools.

“I think pharmacies are a very popular thing,” she said. “They actually had to make the pills they said.”

The conference helped students narrow down the careers they were most interested in and find careers they might not like as much as others.

“You learn what you need,” said UCM’s Helen Brunty. “Get track to continue so you can take the classes you need so you don’t waste your financial aid.”

Pam Cornette of the UK North Fork Valley Community Health Center in Hazard is Practice Manager and Dental Hygienist. At a conference, she spoke with a student interested in dentistry.

“I think the biggest thing you have to do is instill in them the fact that anything is possible,” she added.

She said there is a need for dentists, especially in our area, and that she would like to see students returning home to work as they leave to go to college.

“Our people trust our people. They trust our people, so they’re more comfortable with our people,” she added.

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