Butler Memorial Hospital hosts Career Day event

February 22, 2025 Last Updated: February 21, 2025 09:58 PM Business

Clinical educator for surgical services Bradley Green helps Izzy Micon learn how to dress for surgery during Independence Health System's third annual High School Career Day at Butler Memorial Hospital on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Morgan Phillips

It takes more than a village, it takes a city to provide health care that is of high quality and with good outcomes according to Dr. David Rottinghaus, president of the Physicians Network at Butler Memorial Hospital.

High school students from Butler Area and Seneca Valley school districts got a taste of what it takes to be a part of that “city” on Feb. 21 during the hospital’s 2025 Career Day event.

To kick off the event, Rottinghaus spoke to the students about what he does on daily basis and took questions from grade 9 through 12 students.

“Working in the ER you have the ability to take care of people and impact people’s lives,” Rottinghaus said to the students. “It is the best and the worst of emotions. When patients come to the ER they are in pain and injured and they are scared. I have to establish a rapport with a patient and their family and have them trust me and my team to take care of them.”

Rottinghaus compared working in the health care profession to sports, again focusing on a team-like approach.

“Healthcare to me is the ultimate team sport,” Rottinghaus said. “If I see a patient in the emergency room and they had a stroke, heart attack or was in a car accident, the number of people that it takes with different backgrounds is a lot. It takes a team with everybody having the same goal.”

He also explained the different career paths that are available to the aspiring students, and the steps needed to achieve those goals.

During the question portion of Rottinghaus’s presentation, one student asked him how they can tell if they need to pursue higher education after finishing their undergraduate degree.

“There are a lot of people who after their undergrad take time off,” Rottinghaus said. “Medical school you don’t have to go right after college. There are a lot of people who take gap years to really decide what they want to do. If you are having any doubts at all, I would highly recommend taking a gap year.”

Students also asked about how difficult it is to be around blood on a day-to-day basis, which can be deal breaker for some.

“Early on I liked what I did so much and with the exposure to that type of stuff, it just became a part of what I did,” Rottinghaus said. “I got over it quickly. If that is a concern there are options where you won’t have that type of exposure.”

Rottinghaus said he has been in the medical field since 1998, and one of the biggest “soft skills” he said everyone must possess is the ability to constantly be learning, well after school.

“I learn new things all the time,” he said. “To me that is just another appeal to health care. You have to have the ability to learn from others and again be part of that team. It's impossible to be exposed to everything in health care and know everything. It’s humbling, but it's also part of the fun.”

Touring the hospital

After Rottinghaus finished his presentation, students were then broken up into small groups, who then rotated between stations around the hospital, which were hosted by experts in a variety of medical fields.

In total there were 13 stations, with experts from areas such as nursing, cardiology, dietary, physical therapy and EMS.

The students in attendance were not random, as they were all students who had expressed to their teachers about their interest in the medical field.

Sofiya Muran, a ninth-grade student from Seneca Valley said she wants to follow her aunt’s footsteps and become a nurse, but was also interested in learning about all the other career paths as well.

However, Muran does have one fear she said she will have to get over to become a nurse.

“I’m kind of scared of needles, but I'm going to have to get over that to be a nurse,” she said with a laugh.

Bradley Green, perioperative educator, representing surgical technology at the event said he was excited to show the students why the operating room is a cool place to work.

“I think the students are having a lot of fun,” Green said. “Some are the classic quiet and shy about it, but a lot of them are very engaging and asking some good questions.”

Butler Memorial Hospital will also be hosting another Career Day event on March 21, with the same format.

Kim Harvey, a registered nurse, teaches Butler and Seneca Valley high school students about labor and delivery techniques during Independence Health System's third annual High School Career Day at Butler Memorial Hospital on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Morgan Phillips

Marcus Zurrica reads an anatomy pamphlet during Independence Health System's third annual High School Career Day at Butler Memorial Hospital on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Morgan Phillips

EMS Manager Don Hosey speaks to Butler and Seneca Valley High School students during Independence Health System's third annual High School Career Day at Butler Memorial Hospital on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Morgan Phillips

Gabriella Scarnato, left, and Kylee Goss listen to heart sounds during Independence Health System's third annual High School Career Day at Butler Memorial Hospital on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Morgan Phillips

Marcus Zurrica, left, and Jude Segulla listen to heart sounds during Independence Health System's third annual High School Career Day at Butler Memorial Hospital on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Morgan Phillips

Dr. Thomas Muzzonigro teaches Butler and Seneca Valley high school students about orthopedic surgery during Independence Health System's third annual High School Career Day at Butler Memorial Hospital on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Morgan Phillips

Kim Harvey, a registered nurse, teaches Gabriella Scarnato, center, and Kylee Goss about labor and delivery techniques during Independence Health System's third annual High School Career Day at Butler Memorial Hospital on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Morgan Phillips

A.J. McCafferty learns about respiratory machines during Independence Health System's third annual High School Career Day at Butler Memorial Hospital on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Morgan Phillips

Radiologist Amanda Maley teaches Butler and Seneca Valley high school students about reading X-rays during Independence Health System's third annual High School Career Day at Butler Memorial Hospital on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Morgan Phillips

RN Kim Harvey teaches Gabriella Scarnato, center, and Kylee Goss about labor and delivery techniques during Independence Health System's third annual High School Career Day at Butler Memorial Hospital on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Morgan Phillips

Lexi Murphy looks at laboratory samples during Independence Health System's third annual High School Career Day at Butler Memorial Hospital on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Morgan Phillips

Marcus Zurrica listens to heart sounds during Independence Health System's third annual High School Career Day at Butler Memorial Hospital on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Morgan Phillips

Gabriella Scarnato learns about labor and delivery instruments during Independence Health System's third annual High School Career Day at Butler Memorial Hospital on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Morgan Phillips

Jude Segulla, left, and Marcus Zurrica listen to heart sounds during Independence Health System's third annual High School Career Day at Butler Memorial Hospital on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Morgan Phillips