Imagine standing in a simulation lab at Harvard Medical School, working alongside your peers to diagnose a patient who is describing symptoms through a two-way mirror. You listen. You collaborate. You make the diagnosis.

For members of Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston (BGCB), this is not a hypothetical. It is a Tuesday in April.

Experiences like this are at the heart of BGCB’s Healthcare Pathways program, a growing suite of opportunities designed to meet young people exactly where they are and walk them toward careers in one of the region’s most vital industries. Leading that work is Amber Reese, BGCB’s Healthcare Pathways Manager, whose approach is rooted in a simple but powerful belief: the right opportunity, at the right moment, can change everything.

This spring, BGCB members will gather at the Yawkey Club of Roxbury Teen Center for Melanin Medicine Speed Networking, an evening that connects young people directly with healthcare professionals while blending career exploration with relationship-building.

In April, members from the Edgerley Family South Boston Club will return to Harvard MedScience for hands-on simulation training, diagnosing a patient, practicing intubation, and learning how to perform under pressure as a team. Also this spring, BGCB is sponsoring a member from the Gerald and Darlene Jordan Club of Chelsea to participate in the Tufts Pre-College Spring veterinary program during April break, expanding the program’s reach into another corner of healthcare.

This summer, BGCB launches something entirely new: the Healthcare Pathways Summer Program at Northeastern University. Designed for teens ages 15 to 17, the five-week program will run three days a week on Northeastern’s campus and is intended for young people who are interested in healthcare but may not yet be ready for a traditional full-time internship.

“The goal is that they walk away with tangible skills,” Reese said.

Those skills will include CPR, first aid, and AED training, along with lessons in communication, financial literacy, health insurance, public and community health, and hands-on simulation experiences. That approach reflects the larger philosophy behind BGCB’s healthcare pathways work. This is not about expecting young people to arrive fully prepared. It is about helping them become prepared.

For members who are ready for deeper immersion, BGCB sponsors placements in pre-college programs at Northeastern, Tufts, and Brown, stepping into dorms, classrooms, dining halls, and labs as they experience campus life and healthcare-focused learning firsthand.

Others will pursue internships at Boston Medical Center and Beth Israel, while dozens more will take part in Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts’ summer professional development series, building the soft skills, interview skills, and workplace confidence that matter in every field. And for members who are 18 and eligible, BGCB goes further still. This spring, BGCB is sponsoring a Yawkey Club of Roxbury member who has already completed her high school coursework, to enroll in a certified nursing assistant program at Roxbury Community College, helping turn interest into a concrete next step.

“Skills and confidence,” Amber says. “Our members already have the drive. What Healthcare Pathways gives them is the proof that they can do this, that they belong in these spaces, and that a career in healthcare is not out of reach. It is already within reach.”

Please, follow our social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn) to see all of these experiences documented throughout the spring and summer!