Holding a baby mannequin in both arms like a pro, high school student Taylor Robinson takes in all the sights and sounds of the simulated nursing lab on Tuesday at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Robinson, a 16year-old student at Edwardsville High School, was one of 19 high school students who participated in the weeklong SIUE Healthcare Diversity Summer Camp, which was held June 17-21.
Area high school juniors and seniors with an interest in health care came to the University on June 16 to get exposure to SIUE’s Schools of Pharmacy, Nursing and Dental Medicine. The health care professional schools targeted minority students because they understand the need for more diversity in these fields, said Dr. Lakesha Butler, clinical associate professor in the School of Pharmacy and current coordinator of the diversity summer camp.
In 2009, the SIUE School of Pharmacy established a three-day, non-residential summer camp for high school seniors interested in pursuing a pharmacy degree. Recognizing the value of increased diversity in the Doctor of Pharmacy student body, the School created the camp as an opportunity to expose students to careers in pharmacy and guide them along their journey to pharmacy school. Four years later, the program has seen great success and has expanded into a six-day, inter-professional program.
Thanks to funding from Walgreens, Express Scripts and Target, high school minority students have the opportunity to live in the residence halls and learn about the professions of pharmacy, nursing and dental medicine at no charge to the students’ families. “Without this partnership, the opportunities provided to these students through the health care diversity camp would never have happened,” said Dr. Mark S. Luer, associate dean of professional and student affairs in the School of Pharmacy.
Students spent their first day at camp touring the SIUE campus and learning about student resources available at the University. On Tuesday, students spent the day in the School of Nursing, including the Simulated Learning Center for Health Sciences Laboratory. Sheila Pietroburgo, coordinator of the Skills/Simulation Lab, explained how SIUE nursing students learn needed information and gain valuable experience from work in the laboratory and with the simulators. They also learned about careers in nursing and met with key faculty members.
Students visited the School of Dental Medicine in Alton on Wednesday. They toured the campus and participated in hands-on anatomy and physiology activities, including inspection of their own cheek cells under a microscope, an x-ray review of cavities and electronic cadaver simulation. Students also created impressions of teeth models in the School’s Multidisciplinary Lab. Dr. Cornell Thomas, assistant dean for admissions and student services, led a discussion about dentistry as a career and the School’s admissions requirements.
Thursday was spent learning about careers in pharmacy. Activities in the School of Pharmacy included touring the School and hearing about memorable patient moments and sharing lunch with faculty members. Students had the opportunity to try their hand at various assessment skills in the Advanced Pharmacy Practice Lab including blood pressure, pulse, glucose, heel scan, cholesterol and inhalers. They also attended community pharmacy site visits at Maryville Pharmacy, Walgreens and Schnucks Pharmacy.
The last day of the camp was focused on helping students prepare to take the ACT. “Not only do we recognize the value of increasing the diversity in our student body, we also recognize the need to help prepare minority students to get to the finish line,” Butler said.
The opportunity to explore careers in health care and experience life on a college campus was inspiring for the students. “The students are so motivated and driven,” Butler said. “I’ve been impressed with their interest and the types of questions they have asked.”
Tracee Williams, a 17-year-old student at Belleville West High School, said she is considering attending SIUE to major in nursing or pharmacy. “I didn’t think I wanted to go to SIUE because it was close and my mother graduated from here,” Williams said. “But I’ve found out that it’s a really good school.” Williams’ mother, Yvette Sanders, graduated from SIUE with a bachelor’s in business.
Christian Watts, a 17-year-old at Hazelwood Central High School in St. Louis, is considering a career as a pharmacist. “Ever since I was young, I wondered how a small pill could make someone healthy.”
Robinson is considering three areas of study: optometry, dermatology and oncology. “I think the eye is an intriguing thing,” he said. “The skin is a beautiful thing to me, and oncology research is interesting.”
Winston Jackson, however, is interested in becoming a neurologist. The 17-year-old Edwardsville High School student said the weeklong workshop has proven to be important and useful.
According to Luer, the camp was designed to encourage minority students to explore all types of professional careers. “This was a university-wide, interprofessional effort,” he said. “If we can inspire these students and equip them with the confidence they need to pursue a professional education and a career in a health care field, then the camp was a success.”
Photo Information:
Winston Jackson of Edwardsville High School checks the “patient Gary” as Destany Ulmer of Parkway South High School observes. In the background, Taylor Robinson from Edwardsville High School peers over their shoulder.
Rhyiannon Ike, 17-year-old Belleville East High School student, holds the mannequin baby she named “Niguel” with the help of Tracee Williams, 17-year-old student at Belleville West High School.