What if the path to a nursing career didn’t begin in college, but in 9th grade? What if a high school student could graduate not only with a diploma, but with industry-recognized credentials, real hospital experience, and a direct connection to a future employer?
At Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston, that vision is becoming reality. In partnership with Aldine Independent School District, and made possible with a $31 million investment from Bloomberg Philanthropies to Memorial Hermann Foundation, Memorial Hermann launched The Health Education and Learning High School, or HEAL High School, a new healthcare-focused high school that blends immersive learning, hands-on training, and mentorship to build a stronger healthcare workforce from the ground up.
HEAL welcomed its inaugural class of 9th graders in August 2024. Located on the campus of Nimitz High School in north Houston, the program is designed to serve up to 760 students at full capacity by 2028, with five healthcare pathways: nursing, pharmacy, imaging, rehabilitation, and health administration.
The opportunity we have to address the workforce shortage is huge. But the opportunity for these kids, who didn’t think about nursing or healthcare as a career, to thrive in healthcare, that is success to me.
“Our goal is to remove the barriers associated with entry into healthcare,” said Bryan Sisk, senior vice president and chief nursing executive at Memorial Hermann. “This is an opportunity for us to engage differently with our communities – there is so much untapped potential.”
Designing a new kind of pipeline
What makes the experience so unique is its real-world relevance. Memorial Hermann is renovating the school building to mirror real hospital facilities, but immersion isn’t just about setting – healthcare is integrated into every element of the curriculum.
“We have specific nursing courses, but in all of the core classes – math, science, English, history – we’re delivering that through a healthcare lens,” said Caitlin McVey, associate vice president for Memorial Hermann's Institute for Nursing Excellence.
“In algebra, for example, they’re calculating IV drip rates. We’re calculating that this infant needs so many milligrams per kilogram. And then we can walk them into the NICU at Memorial Hermann and say, this is why you have to get this math problem right.”
The nursing curriculum features three main sections:
Mock hospital experience
Students participate in a simulated hospital setting where they step into the role of a nurse caring for a patient named “Alex Nimitz”. Using a scripted scenario, they practice teamwork, communication, empathy, and critical thinking. The activity focuses on helping students understand what it’s like to be a patient and provides them with valuable insight into what it means to provide holistic, compassionate care.
Medical supply and equipment “Safe-Lab”
During this interactive session, students explore a mock patient room where real hospital equipment is labeled with its name and function. They are encouraged to handle and examine each item, making it a great way for them to learn, explore, and build confidence with the commonly used medical equipment and supplies in a low-pressure, zero-risk environment.
Intro to basic assessment
This experience introduces students to foundational clinical skills like checking vital signs and making basic observations. Nursing pathway students also practice communication skills and bedside interactions. Students finish this session with a basic understanding of healthcare skills that are important in patient care.
Memorial Hermann also provides a dedicated nursing educator who works alongside Aldine ISD teachers to bridge classroom content with hospital-based learning. This continuity helps students master clinical and professional skills while building confidence and belonging in a complex industry.
From school to staff: a seamless transition
By the time HEAL High School students graduate, they’ll have more than knowledge. Each pathway includes preparation for certification exams, like the patient care technician credential in the nursing track, so students can move directly into entry-level roles at Memorial Hermann.
“We have the talent pipeline that Memorial Hermann needs,” said Dr. Adrian Bustillos, Aldine ISD’s chief transformation officer. “We have students who want to do the work. Together, we’re saying, we’re going to pour four years into you, and you’ll earn an industry-based certificate, so when you graduate, you can work directly with Memorial Hermann.”
And the pipeline doesn’t stop there. Building upward mobility within Memorial Hermann is equally as important. Through its “PCT to LVN” program, the system helps patient care technicians (PCTs) transition into licensed nursing roles by compressing schedules, offering scholarships, and adjusting shifts so employees can balance work, family, and school as they become licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) and ultimately RNs.
“Why wouldn’t you invest in somebody who already does the work and loves our patients? Let’s grab those people and put them on the ladder,” Sisk said.
The system has just graduated its first PCT-to-LVN cohort, and many are already pursuing RN programs, he said.
Closing workforce gaps while building thriving, healthier communities
HEAL High School goes beyond addressing nursing shortages. It also opens doors for economic mobility in a historically underserved district.
“Healthcare is the largest employer, and nursing makes up half of that,” Sisk said. “The power of the nurse manager to change the community through their hiring practices is incredible.”
In Aldine ISD, 92% of students are considered economically disadvantaged. For many families, HEAL offers not only a career pathway, but a generational shift.
“Our students will leave high school with a livable wage, an entry-based certificate, and their post-secondary options are now open,” Bustillos said.
Already, the program is expanding. Memorial Hermann plans to move a school-based clinic into the HEAL campus, giving students improved access to real-time care. And with growing interest – HEAL now has a waitlist – the model may soon serve as a blueprint for other systems nationwide.
For Sisk, it’s a clear win-win, for the system, for the students, and for the entire community.
“The opportunity we have to address the workforce shortage is huge. But the opportunity for these kids, who didn’t think about nursing or healthcare as a career, to thrive in healthcare, that is success to me,” he said. “These students are going to be powerful ambassadors to massive change – that’s the way I see it.”
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