Health Careers Before High Schol Graduation: Grady Hospital’s TELP Program
At Grady Hospital, the future of healthcare begins long before medical school applications, but with the promising teens still finishing high school. Welcome to Grady’s Teen Experience and Leadership Program, better known as TELP, a hands-on, summer immersive program committed to developing the next generation of doctors, nurses, and non-clinical healthcare professionals in our community.
Now in its fourth year, the program has grown from starting with just 80 students in 2020 to receiving 3,000 applicants alone for this year’s cycle. This 7-week program is fully accessible, with the only requirement being a completed application and a desire to learn. With no financial obligations and no strict GPA requirements, TELP creates exposure to health careers for all students.
Program participants build their own schedule of 4-hour shifts and rotate through different sectors of the hospital. They can gain experience in clinical areas such as Emergency Services and the Laboratory, as well as non-clinical areas, ranging from the Chaplaincy to Finance or Language Services Departments. With over 80 rotations to choose from, students are able to explore the vast world of working in healthcare.
In addition to the technical experience, students also develop their leadership and communication skills, as well as confidence in the healthcare field. For some students, TELP is the first time they have ever set foot inside a hospital, emphasizing how programs like these can truly be life-changing.
Approximately 40% of program participants are family members or children of Grady employees, allowing them to have a deeper understanding of the excellent work that goes on in the hospital. TELP’s reach extends even beyond the Atlanta area, with one mother driving 1.5 hours daily so her son could gain the full benefits this program offers.
Grady plans to help other hospitals replicate this program outside of Atlanta, including Columbus and Gainesville, to open up the possibilities for even more youth, including middle school students. TELP is more than just another internship, but a launchpad for the future of underserved students in the community, providing free exposure to what might cost thousands elsewhere. The mission of TELP is to engage youth in the healthcare field, creating a chance to spark lifelong careers and show these students what else is possible in their future.
Grady Nurses Win Lantern Award
A special light shines from Grady Hospital’s Emergency Department, powered by steadfast commitment, compassion, and clinical excellence. Grady’s ED nursing team's brilliance has now been recognized nationally with the prestigious Lantern Award, as they have demonstrated exceptional work and achievement in their leadership, care, research, and innovation.
This award is a historic win for the hospital, marking its first time receiving this award in the over 100 years that Grady has served the Atlanta community. “Not only are we striving for excellence, but we are providing excellent care, leading in practice and education,” says Vice President of Emergency Services, Ashley Gresham.
The rigorous application process for the Lantern Award began back in 2024, but the ED nursing team at Grady had already been working tirelessly on improving systems and innovations for the department. Some innovations included designating a traffic control nurse to manage the high volume of patients and reducing patient wait times from 90 minutes to under 45 minutes. “We were already doing great work, we just weren’t always telling the story,” Gresham says.
In addition to the Lantern Award, Grady Hospital leaders make an effort to regularly celebrate the hard work and dedication of their nurses. With the Emergency Department treating volumes up to 400-500 patients a day, burnout is a reality for frontline nurses as they demonstrate extraordinary resilience, endurance, and commitment. While national recognition is tremendous, internal accolades from close peers ensure the light will continue to glow from Grady’s nurses.
In 2020, ED leaders launched an internal awards ceremony for nurses that began after the COVID-19 pandemic. What started with three categories to acknowledge excellence in the Emergency Services Department has now expanded hospital-wide, ranging from IT Nurse of the Year to Case Manager Nurse of the Year, with many of these honorees being Black women from the South Fulton community.
In the first year of the awards, there were just about 30 nominations. This year, that number soared to over 600 nominations. With so many shining stars, the awards ceremony outgrew the Trauma Auditorium and relocated to the Loudermilk Conference Center. Nominations for the ceremony are from peers in the hospital, but quite a few come from former patients, which is a testament to the lasting impact Grady’s nurses have made. “Our nurses embody humility, integrity, dedication, and loyalty to their peers, but most importantly, their patients,” says Gresham.
“Earning the Lantern Award is a testament to the extraordinary dedication, innovation, and teamwork of Grady’s Emergency Department. In one of the busiest and most challenging environments in the country, our ED team shines brightly, delivering lifesaving care with compassion, expertise, and an unwavering commitment to our community,” says Michelle Wallace, Executive Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer, Grady Health System.
As Grady plans to open a freestanding Emergency Services Center in SoFu next fall, a community-centered approach remains a top priority. This new addition to the community will expand access to the excellent and quality service to even more, allowing Grady’s shining nurses to continue to light the path forward.