Mercy and WCA Celebrate 75 Years with First “World of Health Care Day”
From left to right: Ashley O’Rourke, program director for Mercy’s Communication Disorders; Michael R. Latchmansingh, senior director of innovation at White Plains Hospital; Jocelyn Chacko, director of operational performance at White Plains Hospital and Marc Leitner, supervisor of component lab manufacturing at New York Blood Center discuss the future of healthcare at World Health Care Day.
91Ů and the both celebrating their 75th anniversaries this year, co-hosted the inaugural World of Health Care Day on Friday, October 24, at the Mercy Hall Rotunda on the Westchester campus. Building on the success of last year’s World of Finance Day, the two longtime partners came together for a half-day symposium exploring the future of health care and career pathways in this rapidly evolving field.
The event was presented by Mercy’s School of Health and Natural Sciences, led by Nannette Hyland, interim dean and professor, and WCA's Director of Workforce Development, Jason Chapin. Together, they invited students to explore new health care fields and connect directly with three panels of local industry professionals.
“There's more going on in health care than just about any other sector these days,” said Chapin in his opening remarks. “So this is a fantastic opportunity for students to learn from experts about different careers and career paths into health care.”
Exploring the Future of Health Care
The day featured three moderated panels with professionals representing hospitals, rehabilitation centers and health systems.
The first panel, “The Future of Health Care,” was moderated by Ashley O’Rourke, director of the Speech Language Pathology Program at Mercy and featured the following panelists: Michael R. Latchmansingh and Jocelyn Chacko of White Plains Hospital and Marc Leitner of the New York Blood Center. The guests discussed how artificial intelligence (A)I, telehealth and technology are reshaping both care delivery and career skills.
“Electronic health records [EHRs] have transformed how we understand patients,” said Latchmansingh, drawing a parallel between the evolution of EHRs and the rise of AI. And while health fields tend to adopt technology more cautiously “for good reason, because people’s lives are at stake,” he noted that AI is still having an impact on the day-to-day. “AI can now take care of low-risk tasks so providers can spend more face-to-face time with patients,” he said. “Every hospital wants to go fully digital, and students who understand that technology will stand out.”
Chacko echoed the value of adaptability: “Your career won’t always follow a straight path. Seek opportunity and seek ways to grow. That’s how innovation happens.”
Finding Pathways and Building Skills
Jennifer Fernandes, program director of the Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Program at Mercy, led the second panel of the day, “What Are the Different Career Paths You Can Take?” Katie Martinez of White Plains Hospital, Brian Scheets of Blythedale Children’s Hospital and Brendan Dunn of Northwell Health each shared personal experiences from their own careers as well as practical advice for students looking to pursue similar paths.
“Don’t be afraid to talk to people above you or take on new challenges," said Martinez. “Many new opportunities come from someone tapping you on the shoulder and saying, ‘I think you’d be great for this.’”
Scheets added, “Your dream job today might not be your dream job tomorrow. Try new things. Do some introspection, and you’ll end up where you want to be.”
The third and final panel, “Essential Skills for a Successful Career,” led by Jean Walsh, Mercy’s director of Health Science Programs, included Yesenia Suarez from Westchester Medical Center, Moriah Bass from Burke Rehabilitation, Kareem Graham from White Plains Hospital and Robert Ramirez and Gus Salcedo, both from Summit Health. The panelists emphasized flexibility, communication, empathy and reliability as key differentiators in their hiring practices.
“Active listening goes a long way,” said Salcedo. “It sometimes falls by the wayside, being able to listen not just to respond but to really understand the other person, is very important.”
Bass agreed, noting that empathy is at the heart of effective care. “Especially in health care, where people are coming to you at very sensitive points in their lives, communication and empathy are critically important.”
“Empathy is a strong skill to have and something we look for all the time,” added Suarez.
Events like World of Health Care Day reflect 91Ů’s commitment to preparing the next generation of health care professionals and the value of partnerships with organizations like the WCA, whose connect students with career pipelines across the region.
Learn more about 91Ů’s 75th anniversary celebrations at .