BOSTON -- Massachusetts is facing a critical shortage of health care workers and a unique school in Boston is prepping a new generation of professionals for the field.

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NewsCenter 5's Heather Unruh reported that Boston's Health Careers Academy and a few other programs around the country are now offering teenagers an opportunity to start learning about the healthcare field early.

Wynette Outland, 17, a high school senior is being schooled in medicine.

"I learned how to stabilize enzymes in our body," said Outland.

Outland is one of 190 Boston high school students who are taking college prep courses on the campus of Northeastern University. That's home to Health Careers Academy, a charter school for teenagers interested in health care.

"I want to be an obstetrician," said Outland.

Yen Tran is also enrolled in the program and plans to continue onto medical school.

"(I plan to)major in pre-med and become a physician. A family doctor," said Tran.

The program's classes go beyond the usual high school curriculum.

"We have a partnership with Children's Hospital and over 20 students were placed with Children's during the summer," said Headmaster Al Holland.

Hospital internships inspired big dreams in Tran.

"I didn't see a lot of women doctors, so I'm like, I have to be one," said Tran.

"(It's) very critical that we have a healthcare workforce that's diversified, that reflects the demographics in society. And these kids are getting that opportunity. They can ultimately become health professionals and make a difference in their communities," said board chairman Elmer Freeman.

So far, the program has been successful with 90 percent of last year's seniors going on to college. All of the students in the program have passed the MCAS test, the test required to graduate high school in Massachusetts. The program has been so successful there is a waiting list of 380 students.

"We want to give them the self-confidence that they need and the academic foundation so they can go on the college and be successful," said Holland.

Whether students become doctors or end up on the business side of medicine, the program's results are victories, say teachers.

"To be able to have youngsters to go back to the community who've been educated in health issues, to bring those issues back to their family, their friends, their neighbors -- it's really important to have an educated population," said teacher Frank Harris.

Attending Health Careers Academy is free. The charter school receives funding through Boston Public Schools, grants and fund-raisers.