Akron Children’s and Akron Public Schools put students on a path toward success

Tania started with an Akron Children’s internship and now works as a limited service technician in the lab.

In 2017, the Akron Children’s Unity and Engagement Department and Akron Public Schools started the Akron Children’s Academy of Health and Human Services. The program helps students at Akron North High School learn about jobs in health care, child care, biomedical science and other health-related fields. In 2025, after seeing how the program helped students like Tania Edwards, the two organizations agreed to keep the program going.

Meet Tania

Tania says she’s “a bit of a science nerd.” She loved doing science projects in middle school and was excited to join the Akron Children’s academy at Akron North. The program shows students the many jobs at Akron Children’s – from jobs they can start after high school to careers that need college degrees. Besides classroom lessons, students learn through practice at the simulation lab, job shadowing and summer internships at the hospital.

“I chose the biomedical science path as a freshman and started classes as a sophomore. I took classes including phlebotomy, human physiology, human anatomy and forensics,” she recalled. “Because of my place in the academy, I could apply for an internship at the hospital.”

During the internship, which Tania completed during the summer before her senior year, she rotated through different parts of the lab. “I got to see microbiology, routine chemistry and special chemistry. I also had to complete and present a research project,” she said. “The internship helped me a lot. Going into my senior year, I had a better idea of what I want to do as a career.”

The internship also allowed Tania to meet Tracy Frankowski, director of the Akron Cooperative Medical Laboratory Science Program. “Tracy was my go-to person during the internship, and I’ve kept in touch with her ever since,” Tania said. “I asked her questions about the coursework I took and what classes would be best to take at the same time. She’s always been there to push me and encourage me to keep going.”

(Top) Tracy congratulates Tania on a successful internship in 2022 and remained a mentor. (Bottom) They prepare slides for the automated microscope in the lab.

Meet Tracy and learn about medical laboratory science

The Akron Cooperative Medical Laboratory Science Program is a one-year internship for college students studying medical laboratory science. Akron Children’s, Aultman Health System and Summa Health team up for the program. Students also train at Bon Secours Mercy Hospital and Wooster Community Hospital. As a result, students get to see how different types and sizes of labs work.

“Most people have never heard of medical laboratory scientists,” Tracy shared. “We perform the laboratory tests once your blood, urine, spinal fluid or culture swab gets to the laboratory. We know the theory behind the tests, what normal and abnormal results look like, and what disease states could explain the results we obtain.”

Medical laboratory testing professionals must have specific education that the federal government requires. “You can’t perform testing on human samples unless you meet these requirements,” Tracy said. “The best way to do that is to become a certified medical laboratory scientist. Other choices include getting an associate, master’s or doctorate degree.”

Tracy said the demand for medical laboratory scientists is high. A 15% shortfall of personnel could happen in Ohio over the next 10 years. “Becoming involved in the biomedical sciences pathway at North High School has been an excellent way to introduce students to another career option within the hospital,” she shared. “It’s a rewarding career where you get to do science every day while helping thousands of people determine the next steps in their health care journeys. Our laboratories at Akron Children’s Hospital perform more than 3,000 tests per day.” 

Tania’s working toward a bright future

After graduating from high school, Tania started at Kent State University in the fall of 2023. She’s a medical laboratory science major with a psychology minor. She also works part-time in the laboratory at Akron Children’s, drawing patients’ blood, processing lab specimens, and always taking time to share a smile. “When I first started at the hospital, I was super nervous,” she recalled. “I would think, ‘I’m responsible for these people’s children!’ But I really like it now.”

Tania and her friend, Elise, volunteer for move-in day at Kent State University to help incoming students get settled into their dorms.

Tania manages her time with a planner peppered with sticky notes and a color-coded calendar on her dorm room wall. “I want to finish my degree and become a lab scientist,” she said. “But I’m also considering going to school to be a pathology assistant because that’s more on the anatomical pathology side.”

Regardless of which career Tania chooses, she got a strong start thanks to the Akron Children’s Academy of Health and Human Services. “Our teams enjoy seeing students explore the laboratory. We hope that one day, some of them will be our future co-workers and colleagues,” Tracy said. “It would be great if Tania completes the circle, attending our medical laboratory science program and then working in an Akron Children’s lab.”