Mount Airy, NC – Some of our possible next generation of doctors and health professionals got a chance to explore hands-on recently. Thirteen local high school students interested in becoming registered nurses, physicians, occupational therapists, or other medical occupation participated in Camp Med 2023 summer program provided by Northern Regional Hospital and the Northwest Area Health Education Center (AHEC), an initiative of the Wake Forest School of Medicine. The first of two 2023 Camp Meds took place on June 5-9, 2023.
The program provided a range of unique educational experiences in the healthcare field, from meeting practitioners to seeing ultramodern technology, touring healthcare facilities, and learning about the services provided to patients, as well as presentations by the Mount Airy Police Department, Surry County Sheriff’s Office, medical staff from Northern Regional Hospital, and others. Participants explored different medical career pathways, including surgical services, obstetrics, emergency medicine, and more and each obtained a CPR certification through the American Heart Association. The Camp Med students were filmed while hard at work and featured on WXII News 12.
The Camp also included a tour of Surry Community College and activities to explore the healthcare certificates and nursing programs offered there as one of the Top 10 nursing programs in the state.
Presentations to the students included the health risks of vaping, and the students finished their camp by creating a public service announcement about vaping.
They also began detailed planning for the culminating mock tragedy scenario about teen texting and driving which will be the focus of the second Camp Med this summer.
“As we focus on our ‘Growing Our Own’ strategy, we realize that there are many students in our community interested in entering the medical field. Through Camp Med, we can provide these individuals some exposure and hands-on interaction to help them explore the many opportunities in healthcare here at Northern Regional Hospital,” said Tina Beasley, Manager of Volunteer Services at Northern Regional Hospital and one of the coordinators of Camp Med. “Our hopes and intentions with the camp are to expose students to a vast array of health careers in hopes that that they might discover they have a passion for a career they might not have even known existed before attending camp. We are grateful for our partnership with Northwest AHEC to make Camp Med happen.”
Camp Med participants were from across our area, and currently attend high schools in Surry County Schools, Mount Airy City Schools, and Millennium Charter Academy. Participants included Ilihanie Caro, Riley Halstead, and Kaylee Thomas of East Surry High School; Kendall Golding, and Logan Wood of Millennium Charter Academy; Colby Cruise, Lily O’Neal, and Kaitlyn Ring of Surry Central High School;
and Jordin Beasley, Angie Guarneros, Alexis Hutchens, Saylor Jennings, and Betsy Perez-Martin of Surry Early College High School.
Northern Regional Hospital was pleased to also host Davie County Camp Med participants for a day, offering them a tour of the hospital and activities Thursday, June 15, 2023.
Due to the popularity of Northern’s first Camp Med last summer, Northern is offering two sessions this summer. The second Camp Med of the summer will be held July 17-21, 2023. Plans are for the camp to be held annually at Northern Regional Hospital.
