Mount Mercy Academy, along with Bishop Timon-St. Jude High School, are offering students a unique experience - thanks to a partnership with nearby Mercy Hospital.

The Academy of Science & Heath Care is a partnership between the schools and the hospital to offer students an once and a lifetime internship opportunity.

Students will have the opportunity to interact with professionals in the field of their choice as well as have exposure to many other careers.

"I intern in the emergency center at the hospital," said Mount Mercy senior Emily Diaz. "The emergency center is my favorite area, so I was lucky enough to get put in that area. I thought it was an awesome experience. I saw so many things that I thought I was would never have seen."

If interested, the program starts when you are freshmen and sophomores.

Students participate in the Health Care Career Club, moderated by the Catholic Heath System.

They are able to attend various field trips, gaining first-hand knowledge of careers in health care - such as visits to Mercy Flight, the Buffalo-Niagara Medical Campus and MASH Camp at Mercy Hospital.

As juniors, students are given the opportunity to participate in a shadowing rotation program in the fields of radiology, gross anatomy, maternity, mission on the move traveling clinic, nursing units, respiratory therapy, physical therapy and more.

Finally, as seniors, students participate in an internship in the field of their choice (finance, marketing, communications, human resources as well as research and all medical/clinical) either at Mercy Hospital or another approved location.

They must complete a total of 50 non-paid hours of work, complete a log of their participation and then research colleges that offer relates majors.

This kind of experience is invaluable for students in high school. In fact, there are some college's that don't offer this kind of internship opportunity.

"I want to be an emergency room physician," stated Mount Mercy senior Janelle Lauciello. "I want to go to college for it. So, this is a huge step in making me understand how much I really want to do this. I put it on all my resumes and I got into my first choice school."

The fact Bishop Timon-St. Jude and Mt. Mercy Academy even offer a program like this to students shows how much schools are starting to change with the times.

In years past, you never would have heard of a school offering a program as soon as your freshman year in high school.

And even though Timon has yet to take full advantage of the program, Mount Mercy Academy students have signed up in droves.

"I think this is one of the best things they can offer here," explained Diaz. "The medical careers are growing now and that's what everybody is going into. It's really great to have the hands-on experience and really get an idea of what you would be going into. Because, a lot of people go into their majors not knowing what it is."

The program will have its official lunch to celebrate Behind the Mask from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 8 in the third floor conference room at Mercy Hospital, 565 Abbott Road, Buffalo.

Free parking will be available in the Mercy Hospital parking ramp and refreshments will be served. People planning to attend must RSVP by Thursday, March 1. To RSVP, call 447-6205.