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A Senior’s Journey to the Surgical Table

As a standout member of Saint Martin’s Class of 2025, Amira is already blazing a trail - but having the opportunity to scrub in on multiple surgeries has catapulted her professional experience to an entirely new level.

Thanks to her Corporate Work Study job at MetroHealth, Amira is immersing herself in hands-on professional experience in the healthcare industry. She’s worked on the post-rehabilitation floor and in the x-ray department at the Glick Center. Amira has taken on key responsibilities in providing patient care, such as engaging with patients, assisting with meals and hydration, and ensuring their stay is as comfortable as possible.

Amira’s Corporate Work Study job opened her eyes to the world of healthcare. "Originally, I wanted to be a lawyer, but then I realized I’ve always enjoyed helping people. My work study job showed me that I can do that every day in a healthcare career," she shares. After gaining career exposure through the opportunities provided at Saint Martin, Amira knew she wanted to take her skills to the next level. She applied to the Cleveland Clinic Howley ASPIRE Pathways Program and is on the surgical technology track, which is a twelve-week program that gives high-school students career information and critical skill sets to support their matriculation through higher education, nursing school, and beyond. Amira is nearing the completion of her program and recently had the incredible opportunity to scrub in on two surgeries—one a colorectal surgery and the other a chest surgery.

During both surgeries, Amira was doing more than just observing. “Before surgery, I helped the anesthesiologist prep the medications that will be used, and during surgery, I was able to pass tools to the surgeons, clean the tools, and count the tools before and after surgery,” she explained. She also helped use the cameras that are used during surgery to make sure the problem of the patient is being fixed. These hands-on experiences made Amira feel like she was part of the team. Initially, she was hesitant about these opportunities, but she quickly adapted and realized that surgeons are real people too. "In the operating room, surgeons were playing music and having small conversations with each other," she noted.”I realized that I can see myself in their shoes someday, and that is a goal I hope to reach.”

Through her Corporate Work Study experience and now the ASPIRE Nurse Scholars Program, Amira has gained valuable skills that will support her future career. She aspires to become a general surgeon, driven by her curiosity about trauma injuries and the exposure to the healthcare industry thanks to Corporate Work Study. While she has not yet decided where she will continue her education next fall, Amira is well-prepared for success wherever she goes.