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A regional consortium of 26 high schools in central Illinois is participating in a program aimed at preparing students to pursue health care careers, the Paris Beacon Journal reports. As part of the Health Occupations program, students interested in the health care industry are invited to participate in education and hands-on training designed to introduce them to the various types of health care careers available. Typically, students complete approximately six weeks of classroom training that includes instruction in the theory and history of health care, anatomy and physiology, and ethical and legal responsibilities. Students spend the remainder of the nearly nine-month program engaged in clinical training opportunities, first completing rotations in the emergency department, hospital administration, and surgery and therapy departments, among others. Toward the program's end, students select five sites and apply to job shadow at each site for one week, then select one of the five sites to participate in a more intensive four-week internship. As part of the program, students can opt to follow a Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) program track. The program seeks to prepare students to sit for the state CNA licensure exam. Other students, meanwhile, participate in the program for credits toward graduation and have the opportunity to earn up to eight college credit hours. The participating schools include Marshall, Martinsville, Paris and Casey-Westfield high schools. Participating local hospitals include Sarah Bush Lincoln Hospital in Mattoon and St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital in Effingham (Barkley, Paris Beacon Journal, 10/23/09).