Hands-On Learning Sparks Interest in Health Care Careers for Arkansas Students
| To help inspire the next generation of health care professionals, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) recently hosted a virtual event that gave nearly 950 Arkansas high school students an inside look at careers in the medical field.
Students in northwest Arkansas prepare to dissect a sheep eye as part of the UAMS Find Your Future in Health Care event
Students from 69 high schools across Arkansas participated in the Find Your Future in Health Care online event. Participants saw presentations from a variety of health care professionals while also getting to participate in several hands-on activities.
“We’ve heard nothing but positive feedback from teachers letting us know how much they and their students enjoyed the Find Your Future event,” said Jesse Cargill, the education coordinator for the UAMS North Central Region in Batesville. “I think the school districts across the state were grateful that their students could participate in a unique opportunity like this. And I know that UAMS is happy to have the opportunity to invest in these students and to show them some of the career paths that are available to them.”
Students learned about such health care fields as athletic training, family medicine, sonography, nursing, respiratory therapy and physical therapy. They also saw demonstrations involving intubation and sonography. During the hands-on portion of the event, students were able to actively participate in a variety of medical procedures, including wrapping ankles and wrists, using straws to demonstrate respiratory therapy and dissecting sheep eyeballs.
“We were able to send sheep eyeballs out to all of the schools who participated,” Cargill said. “I’m guessing that’s something those students don’t see every day. But it’s a fun experience for anyone who is thinking about a career in health care.”
The Find Your Future in Health Care event is just one of several opportunities that UAMS offers for Arkansas high school students to learn about medical careers. Examples of other events include A Day in the Life, where students spend a day completing in-person activities, and the Medical Applications of Science for Health (MASH) camp, a two-week summer program for rising juniors and seniors that offers a more in-depth look at health care professions.
Students or teachers who are interested in learning more about future events that focus on careers in the medical field should contact the UAMS education coordinator in their area. A complete list can be found on the UAMS Regional Campuses website.