For the past 10 years, local students have had the opportunity to learn about the medical profession through the Future Physicians Dinner hosted by St. Luke’s Miners Campus in Coaldale. This year’s event was held March 14 at Macaluso’s in Nesquehoning.

There are a lot of different career paths in the medical profession, and the decision as to which of those paths to follow can be somewhat confusing. The dinner provides students with the opportunity to learn more about each path, get details on the requirements needed to pursue an education in the medical field and discover the ins and outs of actually practicing medicine, especially in a rural community. It never hurts to establish a professional connection with someone who is already following your dream.

Open to high school and pre-med students, the “Dinner with a Doc” program was initially brought to St. Luke’s Miners by Thad Zuber, a 2007 graduate of Tamaqua Area High School. Since its inception, more than 174 students have been invited to dinner to ask questions and discuss concerns.

This year’s event drew students from Tamaqua, Panther Valley, Jim Thorpe, Lehighton and Blue Mountain High Schools.