Special to IFN
Eight students from Boys & Girls Club of the Piedmont recently participated in a Med-Stem Camp hosted by Iredell Health System, gaining insight in theto array of healthcare careers available to them.
“There’s many more occupations associated with a hospital than what the average person would think there are,” said Micah Spearman, a Boys & Girls Club member. “I was surprised with how little I actually knew about hospitals until this camp.”
The camp lasted for six days. Students learned about nearly every area of the hospital including cardiopulmonary rehab, the emergency department, maintenance, biomedical engineering, radiation therapy and skilled nursing. They heard from multiple staff members and enjoyed interesting activities and games. This gave the students a hands-on learning experience.
“My favorite part was making our own hand sanitizer,” said Spearman. “I like creating things with my hands.”
Pharmacy Director Randi Raynor and Pharmacy Clinical Coordinator Laura Rollings engaged students in a drug compounding activity with hand sanitizer. They also facilitated a pharmacy trivia game for the students.
A doctoral student at High Point University who was interning in the pharmacy during the students’ visit inspired the campers with her story of working 10 years as a pharmacy tech in retail after high school before she went to college and was now a few months from graduating college.
Brady Johnson, Boys & Girls Club director of development, was impressed with what the kidney dialysis unit offered the students.
“The nurse that spoke to the kids was intelligent, passionate and inspiring. Not only did she explain the very complex procedures and practices required to treat her patients, but she also took time to share her personal story about her career pathway, explaining that health care can open doors for them that they aren’t even aware of,” he said. “The most powerful part of her presentation came when she explained that the majority of her patients are in kidney failure due to lifestyle choices and poor decisions they have made. She spoke about the dangers of alcohol abuse, drug abuse, smoking and vaping. I wish every middle school and high school child in our community could have heard her.”
Other activities included an ambulance tour, checking out the helicopter pad, suiting up for an operating room tour, and taking a peek of the morgue. Each activity was met with excitement and wonder from the students.
“What an impact Med-Stem Camp had on our students this summer,” Johnson in a note of appreciation to camp coordinators. “Thank you and the staff for reaching out to the Boys & Girls Club and making this camp a reality for local students. Kudos to your team, which went beyond the call of duty in the planning and deployment of this unique learning opportunity.”
Iredell Health System staff were thrilled about the chance to share their careers with the students.
“On the students’ first day, they have limited knowledge of medical careers and by the end of camp, they leave eager to learn more about careers they may not have previously considered. It’s exciting to watch the students’ eagerness to learn,” said Angela Whicker, Iredell Health education specialist.
Whicker knows the importance of hands-on learning when deciding a career path, especially as a high school student.
“The camp is an essential resource for local high school students interested in exploring careers in healthcare. The camp provides students with invaluable experiences that can shape their future paths in medicine.”
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About Iredell Health System
Iredell Health System includes Iredell Memorial Hospital; Iredell Mooresville; two urgent care centers; Iredell Home Health; Iredell Wound Care & Hyperbaric Center; Community and Corporate Wellness; Occupational Medicine; the Iredell Physician Network and more. Iredell Memorial Hospital is the largest and only nonprofit hospital in Iredell County. The comprehensive healthcare facility has 247 beds; more than 1,800 employees; and has 260 physicians representing various specialties. Centers of excellence include Women’s and Children’s; Cardiovascular; Cancer; Surgical Services and Wellness & Prevention. The Health System’s second campus, Iredell Mooresville, is home to the area’s only 24 hour urgent care facility, as well as an ambulatory surgery center, imaging center, rehabilitation services, and physician practices. The mission of Iredell Health System is to inspire wellbeing. For a comprehensive list of services and programs, visit www.iredellhealth.org.