High School Students Learn About Medical Field at CLC Healthcare Camp

Central Lakes College in Brainerd had over 70 high school students take part in its healthcare career exploration camp last week.

Thanks in large part to Central Lakes College’s Healthcare Specialist Jennifer Chock’s guidance, as well as help from many CLC students, campers had the opportunity to try out different aspects of the healthcare field at various career stations.

“We had drawing simulated blood, CPR races, skin stapling,” explained Chock. “[We] tried to cover a variety of careers like surgical tech, lab tech, X-ray, nursing, dental careers.”

Central Lakes College’s health courses help create and disseminate knowledge with the aim of preventing disease and promoting the health of populations in the United States and worldwide, which the camp exemplified.

“Just to get some exposure for these high schoolers to see what might be out there in careers,” Chock said. “They’ve definitely heard about being a nurse or a doctor. They might not even know MRI tech. Just so many different careers in the field that they might not have considered.”

While there is a growing shortage of healthcare workers in the U.S., with a critical healthcare worker shortage of roughly 100,000 expected by 2028 (according to the American Hospital Association), the camp’s intention is to educate and excite the younger generation about the career field.

“You can be a male, female, anybody, you can just go over there, so long as you have that passion in there of helping,” emphasized CLC healthcare student Ken Kemboi. “They have to see healthcare in a different way in where it’s like, it’s open for everybody.”

And after going through the collection of healthcare-related activities, including EMT work, the campers got to put their newfound knowledge to the test in a CPR race finale.

“I just hope that it gives them a goal, and it gives them maybe the opportunity to look at the classes that they’re taking in the next couple of years,” Chock added. “These are students today going into eighth, ninth, and 10th grade, so they still have some time. But they can really knock out a lot of prerequisite and make a easier course for them.”

Those taking part in the camp also got to visit and learn from healthcare workers at Essentia Health-St. Joseph’s Medical Center.