WVU Medicine held a signing ceremony Thursday (May 15) to welcome its third cohort of students selected to participate in its MedEd educational program and celebrated its first graduates.

MedEd, a free healthcare career training program open to high school juniors and seniors, prepares students from Berkeley and Monongalia counties for full-time positions at WVU Medicine hospitals following their graduation.

“The initiative provides hands-on, real-world training at WVU Medicine J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital, equipping students with the skills and experience needed to pursue high-demand, high-paying careers in healthcare,” Jessica Hall, WVU Medicine talent acquisition manager, said.

“Upon graduation, the students are qualified for permanent jobs in our hospital that they wouldn’t have qualified for without the program, so it’s given WVU Medicine a way to grow our own talent here in Morgantown. It’s also given students who live in this community exposure to healthcare careers they may not have had otherwise.”

Thursday’s Signing Day ceremony saw 20 MedEd students – 10 each from Morgantown High School and University High School – commit to taking two courses during their junior and senior years, followed by a paid internship completed during their last semester of high school.

A graduation ceremony held Thursday afternoon celebrated the inaugural class of 13 students who recently completed the two-year program.

Abigail Hess, a senior at University High School and a new graduate, spoke at both ceremonies commending the program that she called “life changing.”

“The experiences I have gained with MedEd are some that I will never forget and will continue to share with others,” she said. “The opportunities I have been given and the lessons I have learned have shaped me into who I am today.”

Hess will attend the West Virginia University School of Nursing in August with the goal of eventually working in women’s health.

To learn more about the MedEd Program, visit WVUMedicine.org/info/MedEd.