Incubator is a programme run by the Southern District Health Board which works with young people who are interested in learning about and experiencing different careers in the health sector.

This year’s first visit was a school based information session Friday March 8th. In this session we had the opportunity to take personality tests which may help us understand which career areas we would be best matched to, we viewed options for future careers, got dressed up like surgeons and listened to speakers including a midwife and two people from the Human Resources department of the Health Board.

The following Monday we went to the hospital on an evening visit to view a department that can't be easily visited during the day because it is so busy with patients. The department that the group visited was the Radiology department where we were taught about the different forms of imaging and the career options within the field of Medical Imaging. We visited various treatment rooms and saw some equipment in action. One of the most enjoyable and interesting parts of our trip was being able to perform our own x-ray on a chocolate Kinder Surprise egg, then read the x-ray to see what was inside it.

From everybody in the Incubator Programme we would like to thank Vicie Hodge of the Southern District Health Board for organising these experiences for us.