UAMS Program Stokes High School Students’ Interest in Health Careers
| More than 1,100 high school students from dozens of schools across the state took part in the latest virtual Find Your Future in Health Care event, a University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) program that offers a closer look at a variety of health careers.
The Nov. 12 event, organized by UAMS Regional Campuses, encouraged the teens to explore the health care field through the perspective of an imaginary patient named Joshua, who suffered from leg injuries and dizziness after an automobile accident. A series of presentations from health professionals traced Joshua’s journey from the accident scene to his recovery and rehabilitation.
Bruce Townsend, clinical manager at LifeNet EMS in Texarkana, explained the role of emergency medical technicians (EMTs) in stabilizing patients on their way to the hospital. The students watched as Townsend, seated in the back of an ambulance, used a manikin to outline how he would thoroughly assess Joshua’s condition and treat any injuries that required immediate attention.
Bruce Townsend, clinical manager at LifeNet EMS in Texarkana, explains the role of emergency medical technicians in stabilizing patients on their way to the hospital.
“We always treat for the worst and hope for the best,” he said. “We want to make sure we’re not missing anything while we’re taking care of the patient.”
Townsend described being an EMT as “wonderful” but noted that it can also be difficult. He said the job requires a “servant’s heart” because EMTs care for patients who are facing traumatic or life-threatening situations.
“You have to look at it from the perspective of, ‘What if I hadn’t shown up?’” he said. “People need someone to be there during their darkest hour.”
Star LaGrone, RN, an emergency room nurse at Baptist Health-Fort Smith, spoke about what happens once the patient arrives at a hospital. She said a nurse would evaluate Joshua again to ensure there were no additional injuries and would measure vital signs such as blood pressure and pulse, which are particularly important in his case because of the risk of internal injury from the crash.
LaGrone said nurses play an essential role in the emergency department, treating the patients and coordinating care with physicians and radiology technicians.
“In this job, it’s important to know a lot of information about a lot of different things,” she said.
Kayla Ashenberger-Bell, director of recruitment and admissions for the UAMS College of Health Professions’ radiology program, talked about how radiology technicians gather the images that inform a patient’s course of treatment.
“We work behind the scenes, but we are the eyes of health care,” she said. “In many cases, a doctor can’t properly treat a patient without knowing what’s going on internally.”
Bell said Joshua first would receive X-ray imaging of his injured leg to determine the severity of the damage to the bones and joints. After that, he would undergo a CT scan of the head and neck to pinpoint the cause of his dizziness.
Although radiology technicians don’t make diagnoses, their initial analysis of the images is vital, Bell said. If the technicians spot a significant injury such as a brain hemorrhage, then they will notify the care providers to ensure the patient receives immediate treatment, she said.
The online event also featured a hands-on component. UAMS Regional Campuses shipped supply kits, which included sheep brains, to the schools so the students could participate in a dissection activity. Kevin Phelan, Ph.D., professor in the UAMS College of Medicine’s Department of Neuroscience, guided the students through a lesson on the structures of the brain and the bodily systems they control.
Students listen to one of the presenters during the Find Your Future in Health Care event.
Phelan explained how changes in the brain can indicate health conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, as well as how a brain injury could lead to dizziness in a patient like Joshua.
The final segments of the day focused on Joshua’s recovery from his injuries. Russ Nelson, physical therapist; Candace Taylor, certified hand therapist; and Halah Moore, occupational therapist, all of whom work at the Christus St. Michael Outpatient Rehabilitation Center in Texarkana, spoke about the role of occupational and physical therapists in patients’ rehabilitation. Cherish Dunigan, Pharm.D., clinical pharmacist at the UAMS Northeast Regional Campus in Jonesboro, discussed how pharmacists ensure that people have the proper medications after they leave the hospital.
The students remained engaged throughout the event, and each presenter fielded a variety of questions about their profession’s starting salary, educational requirements and workplace expectations, as well as more specific questions about the care they provide to patients.
Educational coordinators from UAMS Regional Campuses encouraged the teens to learn more about health careers by applying for next year’s Medical Applications of Science for Health (MASH) camp, a summer program for rising juniors and seniors that’s held in cities throughout the state. More than 400 students participated in this year’s MASH camps, which run for one or two weeks and offer a behind-the-scenes look at a wide variety of careers in the health care industry.
These programs are supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $10,572,308 to date with 50% financed with non-federal sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. government.