Chester students examine health care careers
West Chester University’s Health Career Summer Academy highlights health care jobs
West Chester University’s College of Health Sciences hosted a Health Career Summer Academy for local high school students, highlighting careers in the health care field this week.
Over the five days, students had a chance to tour the university campus, then attend a number of different health care-related seminars and classes including: athletic trainers, nursing, respiratory therapy and speech-language pathology.
One day was spent traveling to Lankenau Medical Center for a chance to meet health care workers and included visits to the pathology lab, nutrition and food services, the morgue and hands-on experiences with a surgical robotic simulator, running a CPR code and basic suturing.
Daniel Baer, PhD, ATC Instructor Department of Sports Medicine, said the event, in its fifth year, targeted schools in underserved populations but was open to anyone. Information was sent off to Chester and Coatesville area programs with 11 students from Chester Charter School of the Arts attending, five from the Chester Housing Authority and 18 students who signed up through the Coatesville Youth Initiative.
“Some kids know where they want to go, while others are still searching,” said Chester Charter School for the Arts, Health Science Program coordinator, Christine Ellis who was impressed after sitting in on the events Thursday. “There is such a demand for allied health and other health sciences that students don’t think of. This gives them an idea.
“It really opens their eyes to other careers. They like the hands-on classes which you can’t necessarily do in a classroom.”
One lesson, taught by Dr. Amir Golmohamadi, assistant professor of nutrition and food science, centered on a sensory evaluation of blueberries and carrots. It took the students through proper washing and preparation. Golmohamadi had the students use their cellphones to take an online poll. Following that, the students sampled the different foods and voted for the better tasting.
Dr. Golmohamadi said the class was a snapshot of an actual university class.
“We show them organic and non-organic foods, but the main goal is consuming more fruits and vegetables,” he said. After a watermelon and honey smoothie break, Dr. Amir bid farewell to the students saying, “I hope to see you guys in a few years.”
An afternoon session on kinesiology, the study of the mechanics of body movements, was taught by Dr. Ken Clark, an assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology.
Clark had the students perform a number of simple tests demonstrating response and reaction time and how the biomechanics of learning motor skills are used in the real world as well as in sports training and sports medicine.
“It’s a great program, a great way to spend their summer,” said Steve Fisher, executive director of the Chester Housing Authority, who sat in on the activities Thursday. “For our kids this is like paradise.”
A survey of the students supported that view.
”It’s teaching me new things,” said Madea Price, a sophomore at Collegium Chester School in Exton. “I think it’s going to help me find a career. I’ve had difficulty picking.
“The robotic surgery at Lankenau was cool. How they maneuver using their own hands was amazing.”
“It’s a lot to think about,” said Steven Slowe, a rising junior at Chester Charter School for the Arts. “I was most interested in the nutrition classes; I like to cook. I also like the morgue at the hospital, we saw a foot and a brain. I’d like examining bodies and finding about the cause of death.” “I think it was amazing, I loved it,” said Genevieve LaFevre, an Octorara High School student who found out about the program from a post on social media by the Coatesville Youth Initiative. “I was thinking of working in a hospital, but this opened my eyes to athletic training opportunities.”
“I enjoyed the nursing,” said Shiny Kirksey of Chester Charter School for the Arts. “They taught us about germs and washing our hands properly. I also was interested in the CPR.”
“I love it,” said Antonio Perez, a junior at Coatesville Area Senior High. “It gives me a direction for college.”
“One of the College of Health Science’s strategic priorities is to recruit, retain, and create a welcoming and inclusive environment for students who reflect the diversity of our world today,” said Scott Heinerichs, dean of WCU’s College of Health Sciences and professor of sports medicine. “The initiative particularly speaks to this commitment, and we are proud to be able to offer such a comprehensive program to these outstanding youth.”
On Friday, the students gather in teams to present what they learned from the weeks activities.