CampMed teens aim high

Published: 6/21/2013 - Updated: 5 minutes ago

BY ROSA NGUYEN BLADE STAFF WRITER

Covered head to toe in scrubs and surgical gloves, a teen tripped in a room filled with aspiring physicians.

Its OK Im a doctor. I can help, said Andrew Fickert, a 14-year-old who will attend Lincolnview High School next fall.

Andrew is one of 36 participants in CampMed, an annual program designed to give upcoming high school freshmen a taste of medical school. Organized by the University of Toledo College of Medicine and the Area Health Education Center a workforce development program that promotes clinical education in health care the two-day camp was at the University of Toledo Health Science Campus on Thursday and continues today.

The program, which is free to students, is the 16th of its kind, encouraging students to pursue a medical career since 1998.

PHOTO GALLERY: CampMed at UT

CampMed is a place to start, and the next step is to be a strong science and math student in high school so they will be prepared for college, said Kathleen Vasquez, director of the Area Health Education Center. We hear often from our alumni that this experience was very meaningful as they moved through college and into a career.

At least 80 percent of CampMed alumni go to college, and 66 percent pursue a career in the medical field, Ms. Vasquez said.

We had a session this morning in the simulation center, and one of the instructors there attended our second annual CampMed in 1999. Its awesome, said Kathryn Oberhauser, CampMed program coordinator and Area Health Education Center administrative assistant.

Originally posted here:
CampMed teens aim high

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