Dalton High School senior Ben Witmer has been interested in healthcare for years. But with so many different professions to choose from, he is still deciding on a career path. He joined the student volunteer program at Aultman Hospital this summer to learn more about healthcare professionals’ day-to-day experiences.

Ben volunteers one day each week in the operating rooms (OR) department. “Volunteering is a good way to experience the OR without the pressure of being involved in any aspect of surgery or medical care,” he said.

On a typical day, Ben checks in at the volunteer office, dresses in scrubs and grabs his assigned phone – a way for the OR to contact him when they need something. When he gets a call from the OR, he picks up the supplies, prepared by healthcare personnel, puts on a mask and delivers them to the right place.

When a surgery is complete, Ben joins the team that cleans the OR. He removes trash while the healthcare team prepares the room for the next patient.

“This experience has taught me time management skills,” Ben said. “I need to balance my time between answering calls for supplies and joining the group cleaning up an operating room.”

He also learned the value of teamwork. “We each had a specific role in turning around an operating room,” Ben said. “By working together, we were able to get everything done much more quickly.”

He is especially grateful to Mason Bond, a mentor who has been friendly, kind and patient as Ben has learned more about working in a hospital.

Because Ben is so interested in healthcare, he participated in Aultman Medical Education’s June 12 Summer Symposium and Career Fair – a separate program. At the career fair, colleagues from 30 different Aultman departments were available to answer questions about their particular healthcare profession.

As a follow-up to the symposium, Ben shadowed Aultman colleagues in physical therapy and in the Emergency Department.

During his summer experiences, Ben learned that he is interested in a career that’s busy and active, which is no surprise considering his involvement in sports and theater at school. Ben runs cross country, participates in track and plays basketball.

He also has taken part in several Dalton High School theater productions, including “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “The Pajama Game.” He finds that sports and theater offer balance in his life.

During his senior year, Ben will narrow down his college choices and continue exploring the possibilities in healthcare careers.

“At Aultman this summer, I really wanted to see all the different parts of the hospital to help me decide what I want to do in the future,” Ben said. “The experience has given me a few ideas but also sparked my interest in learning more about more aspects of healthcare.”

The annual Aultman Hospital summer volunteer program is for students between the ages of 16 and 22. Applications become available at aultman.org/volunteer in mid-March and are due in early May.