CHS students attend SUU health career camp

By Sun Advocate

The 15th annual Health Career Exploration Camp sponsored by the Utah Center for Rural Health was recently held at Southern Utah University, and was attended by several youth from Carbon High School.
The high school students who participated in the June 17 – 19 health career camp did so because they are interested in someday pursuing a career in the health care field. They, along with 75 other high school students, explored the health care industry through three-days of hands-on experiences and learning opportunities for all who attended.
Students attending included: Shelbie Madsen, Ashley Greenwood, Kaylee Bruno, Ryan Cano, Jayde Moynier, Lexi Monson and Kyle Barrett.
At the camp, participants were divided into five groups and rotated among 14 different workshops. Some of the workshops featured health career skills where participants learned to suture, take blood pressures, intubate and maintain an airway, provide first-aid, patient transfer techniques, diabetes management, proper wound care techniques and more.
In science labs students looked at blood smears through microscopes, conducted chemistry experiments, learned how diseases are spread, made their own teeth impressions, dissected sheep eyes and sheep hearts, and learned about pharmacy by making their own chapstick.
Careers that were featured at the camp included, Respiratory Therapy, Nursing, Nurse Practitioner, Medical Technologist, Physician, Veterinarian, Dental Hygienist, Physical Therapist, EMT, Pharmacist, and Dentist.
Because there is a strong need for health care workers in rural Utah, the goal for this camp is simple. “This camp is specifically designed to give students from rural areas opportunities to learn about health care careers in a hands-on way that is not always available to them.” stated Carrie Torgersen, coordinator of the camp.
Students interested in health careers have the opportunity enroll in the Center’s Rural Health Scholars Program. The Rural Health Scholars Program helps students become successful applicants to medical, dental, pharmacy and other graduate level health professions programs.