A group of students from the Future Healthcare Executives club and Dr. Trent Spaulding (NHM) recently toured Cone Health MedCenter in Greensboro with Executive Director Aaron Saunders, a member of the BCHS Advisory Board and an App State alumnus. (Header shows group shot of students who visited with Aaron Saunders (center, wearing name badge).
FHE President Chris Cifuentes, who is a senior majoring in Health Care Management, arranged the visit for the club and said the experience provided insights into the ‘why’ a career in healthcare leadership matters.
“It felt as if I was peeking behind the curtain at the future of healthcare and, in a way, my own future as well,” Cifunetes said. “As we toured, Aaron Saunders shared a story about a seventh grader who was wheelchair bound and who has been doing intensive water physical therapy at the facility. By doing this therapy, the student has now been able to start walking. The story reminded me of the incredible impact healthcare has on the community and its people and reemphasized my “why” in choosing this career path.”
Difunentes said the facility was designed to “bring the outside in” with earth tones and large windows that provided sunlight.
“It was amazing to see how passionate Saunders was and how he interacted with all the Cone Health staff we saw; it reinforced that you should work somewhere that feels like a friendly neighborhood where you know and care for your neighbors.”
Saunders also advised the students to build a strong support staff and find mentors early in their careers.
“For many of us, the visit reassured us that this is the career we want to be in, and created excitement for the possibilities ahead,” said Difunetes, who plans to look for a job in healthcare leadership after he graduates in the spring.
Two people stand in front of a green wall with a white graphic; one is wearing a lanyard and a name badge
Aaron Saunders (left) and Chris Cifunetes