TEN Bermudian high school students are in the middle of a one-week visit to one of the world's top hospitals to explore the possibilities of a career in health care.

The tour of Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and other health care-oriented institutions in the Boston area is taking place against the backdrop of a severe lack of locals in health care professions. Around 75 per cent of health care professionals in Bermuda are guest workers.

The students' visit has been organised and funded in part by the Career Paths Initiative (CPI), a partnership between The ACE Foundation and the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Bermuda Hospitals Board and MGH.

This morning, the students will take a tour of Harvard Medical School. And later in the day they will visit MGH's Centre for Comparative Medicine, where experiments are carried out on laboratory animals.

Overseeing the students is MGH neurologist and director of specialty care and development Dr. John Stakes. He has been behind numerous links between the hospital and overseas organisations, including a series of around 30 video conferences with staff at Bermuda's King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH).

"We have a significant international programme providing patient care for people all over the globe," Dr. Stakes said. "And we have had many patients come to us from Bermuda over the decades."

He said he had spoken with Ralph Richardson of The ACE Foundation several weeks ago and had been happy to support the young Bermudians' learning trip.

"Over the years I have come to Bermuda many times and spoken with health care workers," Dr. Stakes added. "What was made clear to me was the need for more young people to not only be trained but also to come back to Bermuda and practise."

Mr. Richardson said that the Foundation's Career Paths Initiative was designed to address that issue.

"We're looking to fill the gap," Mr. Richardson said. "I have been told that something like 80 per cent of the nurses at KEMH are non-Bermudians. That really speaks to a significant need."

On Monday, the students visited MGH's Ether Dome, where ether was first used as an anaesthetic back in 1846. That was followed by a trip to Boston Museum of Science in the afternoon.

Yesterday, the youngsters attended a formal opening ceremony where they were addressed by the hospital's president Peter Slavin, as well as Mr. Richardson and Dr. Stakes.

They also visited Biogen, a biotechnology and research company in Cambridge, and the Institute of Health Professionals.

Tomorrow, the students will spend the whole day shadowing health care professionals in the hospital.

Judging by the students' response to the early part of their visit, there may be some health care workers in the making returning to Bermuda at the weekend.

"It's been wonderful to hear the students' enthusiastic response to what they've seen so far," Mr. Richardson said.

The students were selected by the BHB based on their demonstrated interest in the field of medicine and their participation in the volunteer programme at KEMH.

The youngsters raised some of the funds for their visit through their own efforts, including bake sales, car washes and circulating pledge sheets.

Scott Pearman, director of human resources at the BHB, said: "It is critical to the future success of the island's health care system that we encourage young Bermudians to enter the medical profession.

"One of the BHB's goals is to provide students with learning opportunities such as this work-shadowing programme to enable them to explore the many career options available in the health services field. I look forward to seeing these students join our team in the future and continue to provide the best care to our community."

The ten students and their specific areas of interest are: Ashley Isaac (pathology), Brenda June Millet (microbiology), Ebony Leverock (pharmacy), Erin Ingemann (pathology / geriatric nursing), Jac'quita Augustus (emergency nursing), Kendra Faries (paediatric nursing), Stephanie Woods (paediatric nursing), Terri Tear (paediatric nursing), Taqwa Talbot (medicine) and Theresa Francis (physiotherapy).