The Newark Beth Israel Medical Center is making huge strides towards helping the local community! The hospital has recently implemented a new mentoring program that teams Newark’s youth with medical residents.

The YEES 2 Beth Program is a visionary collaboration between Newark public schools and the Beth Israel Medical Center. The program was started by Dr. Randeep Gill, who wanted to use the hospital’s resources to make a positive impact on the lives of at-risk Newark teens. Dr. Gill and the staff at Beth Israel are using the program as an opportunity to interact with young adults at a very impressionable stage in their lives, providing guidance and mentorship to Newark teens. The students in the program report to the Emergency Department at Beth Israel and even receive their own pair of scrubs.

The YEES 2 Beth Program not only benefits Newark’s youth, but it also helps to forge a better physician-patient relationship. Dr. Gill said it best when he told the press that “this unique opportunity also provides our physicians with insight into and a better understanding of our patients' life experiences, resulting in a much better connection to our patients in this urban setting.”

The YEES 2 Beth Program provides a tremendous amount of support for aspiring health services professionals. This program is particularly important because the need for qualified health care workers is truly astounding. Nurses, in particular, are in very high demand, as are phlebotomists, x-ray technicians, and medical assistants. So, not only will this program help at-risk youth gain confidence and emotional support, but it will also lead students on a path that will provide job security and many career prospects!

If you would like to receive more information about the YEES 2 Beth Program, please contact the Office of Alternative Education at (973) 733-8383.