by Ben Overby
The Paducah Sun
February 6, 2026
Used with permission.
The Paducah Innovation Hub hosted a Building Futures in Healthcare informational event in collaboration with Baptist Health Paducah Thursday, advising students in the educational center’s health science pathways about the hospital’s Clinical Career Development Program.
Juniors and seniors studying health science pathways, as well as a few underclassmen, met with representatives from Baptist Health Paducah and the Innovation Hub’s post-secondary education partners in the field — Murray State University, WKCTC and Madisonville Community College — to explore career options and educational opportunities within the program. Innovation Hub Principal Steve Ybarzabal said the Clinical Career Development Program began last year.
“The way that the program works is when a student graduates from our program at the Hub with an industry certification like Phlebotomy, Medicaid Nurse Aide or Allied health—and this fall, we’ll be offering a Pharmacy Tech certification as well — the hospital will hire them part time while they’re in a post-secondary program, furthering their education and obtaining credentials that they need for high paying, high demand jobs where there are shortages at the hospital,” Ybarzabal said. “When those students graduate from their post-secondary program, or finish with a certification, they’re offered a full time position with Baptist. So it’s a way for us to have a continuous pipeline in an area where we know there’s a shortage in the workforce.”
Ybarzabal said that Baptist Health Paducah hired six students that graduated from the Innovation Hub’s health science programs last year, and he hopes to see the number double this year. He said while the Hub is often recognized for working to meet workforce needs in the trades, the health sciences programs are an essential aspect of the educational center’s mission.
“Across the country, just like the skilled trades, there’s this huge gap in the workforce,” Ybarzabal said. “It really stood out during COVID and post-COVID when hospitals were having to hire travel nurses and traveling professionals in different positions that weren’t available locally. Hiring those traveling nurses is very expensive, so our hospital felt like investing in developing young people that they could then recruit to stay local was a wise investment.”
Ybarzabal said he hopes the educational event offers students guidance on career decisions, whether they decide to participate in the program or not.
“I hope it provides them with the knowledge to make an informed decision about a career,” Ybarzabal said. “I know it’s very hard to do when you’re 16, 17, 18 years old — a young adult — but the more information we can get to them, the better informed they are. I think the better they can figure out whether it’s something they’re truly interested in — and just as importantly — if it isn’t for them before they go to college somewhere and do something that costs a lot of money if it’s not what they want to do.”
Paducah Tilghman High School juniors Chloe Jones and Cadence Bibb — who are both studying the Phlebotomy and Medicaid Nurse Aide pathways at the Innovation Hub — both said they learned from the event.
“I’ve learned a lot,” Jones said. “I have gotten to be hands on and learn about pathology, brains, cardiology and surgery tech. I’ve played games and gotten gifts. It’s very cool.”
Bibb said her favorite booth she attended so far was laboratory, and she was excited to visit the radiology booth. She said she hopes to pursue radiology as a career.
Jones said she’s considering a career as a nurse practitioner in radiology or surgery, and is interested in the Clinical Career Development Program.
“I may want to go to Murray State, if not University of Kentucky,” Jones said. “So this is a big opportunity for me if I want to stay locally.”