Leading The Next Generation of Health Care

A high school student learns how to perform a tourniquet

Students from local high schools attended the Medical Academy of Science and Health (MASH) Camp in October at the Colorado campus, organized by the Rotary Community Corps of RVU. The camp gives high school students an interactive glimpse into the world and careers of health care. The event was filled with hands-on workshops like suturing, tourniquets, injections (including intramuscular, subcutaneous, and intradermal injections, with students practicing on oranges and hotdogs), ultrasound, placing an IV, and a cadaver lab demonstration.

Students learn suturing techniques

"I enjoyed getting to see the excitement in eager high school students," said first-year student Austin Dickerson, who volunteered at MASH Camp. "While many of them want to eventually get into medicine as a nurse, physician assistant, or physician, some want to go into business and were just there because they thought it would be interesting to learn. All of them were so respectful and willing to learn."

Elementary school students take a (standardized) patient's history

While high-schoolers were put to work in Colorado, elementary-aged children took part in the Young Doctors Academy at the Southern Utah campus. To teach them about life as a medical student, the kids participated in a standardized patient encounter, acting as the physicians. The Academy has been an ongoing event, with the kids learning various aspects of life in medical school during each visit. The Young Doctors "graduated" in December, capping a successful year in the program.