Several area high school students recently had the opportunity to learn what it’s like to work in a hospital and care for patients on a daily basis.

For the past six weeks, nearly 20 teen-agers volunteered their time at Vaughan Regional Medical Center to experience the ins and outs of a variety of medical professions while receiving a few extra hours of school credit.

The students were participating in Vaughan’s Students-in-Service program, a modern version of the old Candy Striper volunteers.

Barbara Dunn, Vaughan director of marketing and public relations, said the program was open to any young teens hoping to pursue a career in the medical field.

The volunteer work helped the students earn between eight and 12 hours of credit towards their diplomas.

Dunn said she was delighted the community had so many students interested in working in the medical field.

A small ceremony was held for the students to celebrate the completion of the Students-in-Service program and show appreciation for all their hard work.