UNC Health Rockingham Hosts Local Golden LEAF Foundation Rural Internship Student
EDEN, N.C., June 28, 2024 — Zachary Lewis, a previous summer youth volunteer at UNC Health Rockingham, returns to the hospital as part of the Golden LEAF Foundation’s Rural Internship Initiative. Ten weeks of Lewis’ summer break will be spent rotating through the clinical departments at UNC Health Rockingham in hopes of identifying a nursing specialty or area of interest to focus his nursing studies. Lewis plans to apply to the UNC School of Nursing at Chapel Hill in the fall.
“Building on my previous volunteer experience as a high school student at UNC Health Rockingham through the Rural Internship Initiative is invaluable to me as I prepare for nursing school,” said Lewis. “I spent my first few weeks in the Emergency Department shadowing nurses and physicians as they treat patients. Next, I will rotate through the surgical services department and spend time observing in the operating room.”
The Golden LEAF Foundation’s Rural Internship Initiative provides eligible Golden LEAF Scholars with professional work experience related to their career field in a rural North Carolina community. As an internship site, UNC Health Rockingham will be providing Lewis with opportunities to explore rural medicine and a future career in nursing. Lewis shared that the Rural Internship Initiative has allowed him to gain valuable career experiences while serving his local community.
“Introducing rural medicine to local students, like Zachary, who are interested in health care careers is both a privilege and an imperative,” said Dr. Thresa Hardy, Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Operating Officer at UNC Health Rockingham. “We plan to expose these talented students to the meaningful impact they can make on their communities. We hope that this will encourage them to return as clinical providers where quality care and health education is so greatly needed.”
Lewis graduated from Rockingham Early College High School with his associate’s degree in 2023 and is now a rising sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He was selected as a 2023 Golden LEAF Scholar, and as part of the program has shared his desire to live and work in a rural North Carolina county once he graduates from college. Lewis recently earned his certification as an emergency medical technician (EMT) and plans to spend time outside his internship gaining experience as an EMT, as well.
Photo Caption: 1) Zachary Lewis, a previous summer youth volunteer at UNC Health Rockingham, returns to the hospital as part of the Golden LEAF Foundation’s Rural Internship Initiative.
UNC Health Rockingham is a nonprofit, 108-bed community hospital preserving excellent, compassionate and trusted care where it is needed most: close to home. As a cornerstone in Eden, N.C., and a major employer, UNC Health Rockingham serves people throughout Rockingham County and in neighboring Southern Virginia areas. In addition to inpatient, outpatient, surgical and emergency care, the hospital offers diagnostic and treatment services, provide screenings and tests and lead wellness initiatives. More information about UNC Health Rockingham may be found at uncrockingham.org.
