AUSTIN, Texas — Students at an Austin school got a firsthand look Monday night at one of Texas's newest hospitals. Texas Children's (TCH Austin) opened its doors for the group – all of whom say they want to enter the health care field.
"It was beautiful because, you know, you see it on TV, but seeing it in person and seeing the warming lights for the baby," eighth grader Serenity Thacker said.
For students Serenity and Lucia Hubbard, both enrolled at Sadler Means Young Women's Leadership Academy, it was a chance to see if a role in health care is the right fit for them later on down the line.
"I decided I wanted to work with babies and kids and things like that because just their spirit, like, they just have so much hope," Thacker said.
The students got to take a look at the hospital's new urgent care, labs, operating rooms, NICU and more.
It was a chance for Dr. Melanie Belt to show them they can one day move into a role like hers.
"They really get to see, 'Hey, is this something I really want to do?' I wasn't exposed to anything like this when I was their age," Belt, the chief OBGYN officer at TCH Austin, said.
One student named Lucia said to see Belt in a role like this was inspiring for her.
"I was expecting probably more men here, and it was definitely a very nice surprise. I'm glad that there were so many women here and so many, so much representation. It also just made me feel like, you know, feel really nice inside," sixth grader Lucia said.
Belt said she knows how important it is as well.
"There's only 5% African American physicians in the United States, so for them to see an MD like myself is important, so that they know that they can do it too, that there are no limits – there are no ceilings," Belt said.
Each student said a trip like Monday's further cements their desire to jump into an industry like this.
Texas Children's will open it's doors next Tuesday, Feb. 20, for full service – both inpatient and outpatient.