Carolinas Medical Center – Lincoln proudly announces Jessica Cloninger as the recipient of its first Advanced Clinical Practice Scholarship. Jessica is a graduate of West Lincoln High School and Western Carolina University. This $8,000 scholarship is presented annually to a student accepted into an accredited university graduate level program in the field of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Language Pathology or Pharmacy.
The recipient of this award must commit to work a minimum of two years at CMC-Lincoln as repayment of the funds awarded. This scholarship is a positive way to assure the residents of Lincoln County an array of qualified healthcare workers for the future. It provides a dual advantage to the community by supporting local students who will bring their education and expertise back to Lincoln County.
Cloninger plans to specialize in pediatrics. “I am honored and thrilled,” said Cloninger, “I look forward to graduating and returning to CMC-Lincoln to help children in the hospital’s service area who need extra support in their speech development.”
A recent Associated Press report noted, once again, that baby boomers will soon be utilizing the U.S. healthcare system in record numbers and that in many clinical and medical disciplines there will not be sufficient numbers of qualified employees and physicians to care for them. “Choosing a career in healthcare is a wise choice given today’s economy and the growing need for health related services,” according to Lesley Chambless, Vice-President, Human Resources and Marketing. “CMC-Lincoln is happy to be able to meet our community’s future healthcare needs by supporting local students in their career choices.”
CMC-Lincoln, CMC-Lincoln Auxiliary, and CMC-Lincoln’s Medical Staff have long awarded annual scholarships for students enrolled in any degreed clinical healthcare program. Those scholarships include three that are awarded to graduating high school seniors enrolled in the Health Occupations Student Association; two at $500 and one for $1,000 and four additional $1,000 scholarships to students interested in a healthcare career. “This new $8,000 scholarship award will further ensure the community that quality healthcare workers will be available in the community to take care of their future healthcare needs,” stated Pete Acker, President & CEO of CMC-Lincoln.
For more information regarding CMC-Lincoln’s many scholarship opportunities, please contact the Recruitment Coordinator at (704)732-5170 or visit our website at www.cmc-lincoln.org.
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