For as long as she can remember, GlenOak High School senior McVehil Bell has planned to be a physician. She took a step closer to achieving that goal when she served in the Aultman Hospital Emergency Department (ED) this summer as part of the student volunteer program.

Dreams of a Medical Career

McVehil was drawn to the program by both her passion for service and her goal of becoming an anesthesiologist.

“When I was growing up, I spent a lot of time in hospitals and doctors’ offices because of my brother’s surgeries,” she said. “I always knew that I wanted to help others in the same way.”

A chance meeting with Aultman Hospital Volunteer Services Coordinator Lee Kenny led McVehil to submit an application for the program, and she was accepted.

The Emergency Department

McVehil served a four-hour shift in the ED each week. She cleaned and made beds, stocked linens and gloves, removed bags of soiled linens and helped with other tasks.

Her experiences helped her realize how much the little things add up. “At first, my tasks may seem small, but when I’ve completed them, I’ve lifted those tasks off of doctors and nurses and other team members so that they can focus on medical care,” she said.

Her favorite aspect of volunteering was seeing how the teams in the ED coordinate with one another to provide quality care. She also realized that even though patients who come into the ED are having a tough time, everyone is working together to help them.

“Heartbreaking situations occur in the emergency room, but it was uplifting to see how families and friends supported their loved ones and were still able to laugh and talk with the staff,” she said. “It made me realize that healthcare can be scary at times, but there’s light in it – you can change someone’s bad day.”

Healthcare in Action

McVehil also signed up for the Summer Symposium and Career Fair, presented by Aultman Medical Education. Thanks to the symposium – which is separate from the volunteer program – she learned about many different healthcare professions.

The symposium featured two observation experiences over the summer. McVehil shadowed an OB-GYN physician and observed in the operating rooms.

Her summer experiences highlighted the importance of communication. “In school, we learn how important good communication is, but as a volunteer, I experienced firsthand how communication works in healthcare,” she said. “And I learned that it’s OK to ask questions to do my job more effectively and help the day run more smoothly.”

A Heart for Others

A natural leader, McVehil has built her life around serving others. As early as fourth grade, she assisted with children’s classes at her church. When she was in middle school, distressed by the plight of Ukrainian refugees, McVehil organized a fundraising drive to help them. And at GlenOak High School, she’ll serve her third term as Student Council president in the 2026-27 academic year.

McVehil has participated in programs hosted by the local nonprofit She Elevates since she was a young girl. Today she leads student groups for the organization, whose mission is to inspire and motivate girls to become confident leaders, entrepreneurs and CEOs – and help them make a difference in their lives and the lives of others.

“My summer with Aultman increased my passion for service and helped me realize that I want to spend my life helping others,” she said. “As an anesthesiologist, my profession will also be my opportunity to serve.”

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

For information on observations and internships, which are separate from the summer volunteer program, visit aultman.org/studentexperiences.