Adventures in Health Science launches successful program
Hurry to register, there is one opening left at C.A. Dean Hospital in Greenville on July 15-17 for youth ages 12-18 to learn about health care careers through hands-on experience, call to enroll with Sheila at UMaine Cooperative Extension Piscataquis County 4-H Program 564-3301 sheila.norman@maine.edu. Last week on June 25-27, four youth enjoyed participating in the Maine 4-H Adventures in Health Careers Program co-created by Mayo Regional Hospital. Youth learned about the cardio-vascular and respiratory system and many of its related career paths by taking pulses, blood pressures, using stethoscopes and observing more intensive procedures.
This course was adapted from another state’s program to meet a very timely issue: local hospitals in Piscataquis County currently must recruit many of its employees from areas outside this region or even from out of state. Employees who understand the culture and environment of the region have a higher retention rate and can be effective in meeting the needs of the patients they see. The purpose of the Adventures in Health Science program is to allow students who may be interested in a career in the health sciences to explore and experience those careers, including those that are more “behind the scenes”, such as laboratory careers or in technical areas such as designing prosthetics or making eye glasses with the hopes they may choose to locate their career in Piscataquis County. After participating in the three-day intensive learning experience, youth will continue meeting monthly to explore similar professions throughout Piscataquis County, do service-learning, and help to organize next year’s intensive summer program.
For more information or to sign up for the course before July 10, please contact Sheila at sheila.norman@maine.edu. For more information or to request a disability accommodation, call Cooperative Extension (207) 564-3301.