North Carolina camp prepares students for careers in health care

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High school students in Surry County are preparing for careers in medicine through a program hosted by a local hospital.

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Camp Med at Northern Regional Hospital is a week-long summer program educating and exposing high school students to what a career in health care has to offer.

Tina Beaseley, the hospital's manager of volunteer services, says they're working closely with the local high schools to identify, educate, and eventually recruit students with an interest in health care.

"It's kind of a career exploration," she said. "It gives the students a chance to explore careers in a hands-on type environment."

Bealsey said it's been a great expereince for the students and herself. She said it's fulfilling seeing students' faces light up when they walk into the hospital. She said she consistently hears stories from the students that the camp reinforces their desire to go into healthcare.

Logan Wood is a sophomore at Millennium Charter Academy. He told WXII when he was 7, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and seeing the compassion of the nurses that took care of him inspired him to follow in their footsteps.

"Getting to see other people do what they do to care for me, it just had a great impact," he said. "That's what I want to do for others."

Another student, Riley Halstead, said she's always had a passion for helping others- especially kids. She said the camp lets her practice the skills she’ll use as a pediatric nurse.

"When you're in classroom, you just watch people, you don't really get to do it as much," she said. "But, like in here, you get to do it."

Beasley said the camp does important work in helping students get interested in health careers as early as possible, especially as hospitals continue to struggle with an ongoing nurse shortage.

"Our philosophy here is we're growing our own," she said. "What we mean by that is we feel like if we invest in the local students in our community, then we can help them with different opportunities like camp med. Then hopefully one day they'll return in return, invest in us [and] maybe come back to [the] workforce one day.

The camp will continue throughout the week of June 5-9, and the hospital will host another group of students in July.

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