July 21, 2026
LAKELAND, Fla. – When Lakeland Regional Health leaders tell this year’s Discover Summer Enrichment Program students that a career in healthcare is within reach, Kaden Weatherford will be Exhibit A.
Weatherford, a member of the first cohort of Lakeland Regional Health’s Discover program, was hired to work in a support role in the operating room immediately after completing last year’s program while she completes nursing school. She will share her story at this year’s Discover program graduation.
Discover, a four-week immersive educational program, returns for a second year to introduce high school students to careers in healthcare. Students explore topics such as emergency care, patient admission, the hospital patient journey, and specialty fields, along with career options and college readiness. Students get a firsthand look at careers across the health system, from physicians and nurses to patient liaisons and engineers. In addition to clinical simulations and hands-on skills labs, students have the opportunity to develop real-life skills, such as AED and CPR certifications.
“We are proud to welcome this group of talented students to the Medical Center and give them a glimpse of the ‘real world’ through the lens of healthcare careers,” said Lauren Springfield, associate vice president of community health. “With persistent healthcare workforce shortages both locally and nationally, we wanted to introduce some of the many career options to local students in an effort to cultivate the next generation of healthcare professionals.”
The program will conclude with students spending their final day on the campus of Southeastern University, where they will enjoy a “day in the life” college experience and be recognized at the program’s graduation ceremony.
Additionally, members of the first Discover cohort will return this summer for Discover 2.0, an intensive advanced week for more career exploration and mentorship. In Discover 2.0, students will sharpen clinical skills like wound care and glucose monitoring and participate in a discussion of medical ethics.
Lakeland Regional Health launched the Discover program last year as a workforce development initiative to build a pipeline of future healthcare workers. The competitive program received more than 270 applications for 45 spots this year. Selected students are invited to participate at no charge.
Not-for-profit Lakeland Regional Health reaches beyond its hospital walls to promote wellness, education, and discovery in new places and new ways, providing a wide range of inpatient and outpatient healthcare services at its Medical Center, Tampa General Cancer Institute | Lakeland Regional Health Hollis Cancer Center, and ambulatory care locations. Lakeland Regional Health earned Most Wired Advanced and Most Wired status 10 times since 2013 and has earned workplace awards from Forbes, Gallup, and Becker’s Hospital Review. Its 910-bed comprehensive tertiary referral hospital, Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, operates the Jack and Tina Harrell Family Institute for Advanced Cardiovascular Medicine; a Level I Trauma Center; the Carol Jenkins Barnett Pavilion for Women and Children, which includes a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; the Bannasch Institute for Advanced Rehabilitation Medicine; and the Harrell Family Center for Behavioral Wellness.
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