Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital (APD), a member of Dartmouth Health, is partnering with Lebanon High School (LHS) and River Valley Community College (RVCC) on LEBMed, a new and innovative healthcare externship program developed by LHS to prepare local students for careers in healthcare.
Through a combination of online coursework provided by RVCC, hands-on-skills training and supervised clinical experience at APD, students will complete the requirements needed to become licensed nursing assistants in New Hampshire. The inaugural cohort has already started their work.
The partnership brings together LHS’ vision for expanding career pathways, RVCC’s educational expertise and APD’s clinical training environment to create a local pipeline for the next generation of healthcare professionals. LEBMed is free for participating students thanks to initial support from the Byrne Foundation. Additional fundraising is currently underway.
“We’re thinking about the longer-term pipeline for these students as well,” said Paula Seaman, MSN, DA, RN, CENP, chief nursing officer at Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital. “It’s a great workforce development opportunity for APD, and a great opportunity for young students who live here in the Upper Valley to potentially build their career here at our hospital.”
The program combines online instruction provided by RVCC with clinical training at APD. Students complete classroom learning before transitioning to hands-on-skills instruction and supervised clinical rotations, where they gain experience caring for patients in real healthcare settings.
“We are grateful to Emily Forstrom, BSN, RN, MedSurg-BC, and Abby Olivier, BSN, RN, MedSurg-BC, for their leadership, and we’re delighted with the strong support from APD staff who have stepped up to be instructors,” said Seaman.
Organizers hope to expand LEBMed in the future to include additional healthcare career pathways, such as phlebotomy, emergency medical services and radiologic technology. By connecting students with education, clinical training and mentorship opportunities close to home, the program aims to strengthen the region’s healthcare workforce while helping students explore meaningful careers in patient care.
About Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital (APD)
Known for personalized, high-quality care, Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital (APD) has been a community-based healthcare organization in the Upper Valley of New Hampshire and Vermont since its founding in 1932. A member of Dartmouth Health, APD has been recognized nationally for quality care. Its areas of clinical excellence include surgical services, primary care, geriatric care, sleep health, and emergency services in partnership with Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. The APD campus is also home to a senior living community with assisted and independent living facilities. Learn more at alicepeckday.org.