Writer: Katon Lunsford
For four high school students, this summer offered more than a glimpse into the world of medicine — it provided an opportunity to experience healthcare firsthand, explore potential career paths and learn alongside the physicians, nurses and healthcare professionals who care for patients every day.
Joshua Li, Emmy Xiang, Emilie Knapp and Suhana Bhattacharya were selected as the 2026 Stillwater Medical High School Fellows. Throughout the summer, they stepped beyond the classroom and into hospitals, clinics and specialty practices, observing everything from surgeries and emergency care to physical therapy, labor and delivery, and outpatient medicine.
Founded by the late Dr. Orville Rippy in 1983, the fellowship has introduced students to healthcare careers for more than four decades. Over the years, support from physicians and community members expanded the program to four fellowships each summer through the Breedlove, Franklin and McMillan fellowships.
Today, the fellowship welcomes students from the summer before their junior year of high school through the summer before their freshman year of college, offering an immersive introduction to healthcare during a pivotal stage in their education.
During the program, fellows shadow physicians, nurses and allied health professionals throughout Stillwater Medical Center and area clinics. They observe surgeries, emergency care and births while gaining insight into the teamwork that drives patient care.
Jeffery Corbett, senior director of volunteer engagement and foundation programs, said the fellowship is designed to broaden students’ understanding of healthcare before they commit to a specific career path.
“Most arrive saying they want to be an ER doctor or a pediatrician, but my goal is for them to discover just how many opportunities exist throughout healthcare,” Corbett said. “If they leave saying, ‘I didn’t realize there were so many ways to care for patients,’ then we’ve succeeded. That’s exactly the vision Dr. Orville Rippy had when he established the first fellowship — to give students an authentic opportunity to learn from healthcare professionals already serving patients.”
Beyond observing medical care, the fellows gained a deeper appreciation for the compassion, communication and dedication required of healthcare professionals. Reflecting on the experience shared by the group, Bhattacharya said one of the fellowship’s greatest lessons came from witnessing the human side of medicine.
“I have known that working in healthcare can be tiring, but watching the nurses who have barely any time to rest, yet greeting the patients as if they’re completely energized was inspiring,” Bhattacharya said. “Working in healthcare doesn’t only mean you have to be extremely educated, you also have to have amazing interpersonal skills that make patients feel comfortable and confident in your presence and knowledge.”
The experience also broadened the students’ perspectives, encouraging them to remain open to specialties they had never considered.
Echoing a sentiment shared by many of the fellows, Bhattacharya said the experience encouraged her to remain open to possibilities she had not previously considered.
“One thing Mr. Corbett said to us fellows was that he wanted us leaving the fellowship more confused at the end than we were in the beginning,” Bhattacharya said. “By that, he meant being open to the diverse specialties and possibilities within medicine. Before this fellowship, I really wanted to be a pediatrician, but now I can see myself joining so many different fields. This experience showed me that I could truly end up doing anything, so I should keep an open mind to whatever comes my way.”
Corbett said one of the most rewarding moments of the fellowship comes at the end of the summer, when students present what they learned to the Stillwater Medical Foundation Board.
“One of my favorite moments each summer is when our fellows present their experiences to the Foundation Board,” Corbett said. “Physicians on the board often say, ‘I wish I had opportunities like this when I was in high school.’ Our fellows gain firsthand experiences, build relationships with healthcare professionals and develop a deeper understanding of what a career in medicine — and healthcare as a whole — really looks like.”
More than four decades after Dr. Orville Rippy established the fellowship, his vision continues to inspire students to explore healthcare careers through mentorship, hands-on learning and meaningful experiences.
Applications for the 2027 Stillwater Medical High School Fellowship open March 1 and close at midnight on the first Monday in April. Eligible high school students within Stillwater Medical’s service area can apply online through Stillwater Medical’s website.
