High Schools Students Get Hands-On Experience At Healthcare Career Camp

Some high school juniors are getting hands-on medical training at The University of Tulsa.

TU's Jr. Stretched camp gives 11th grade minority students who are interested in the medical field a glimpse of the training they'd need.

"Just having those past experiences with other people that are like nurses or doctors that always helped me....that always inspired me to be nice and to also do that type of job," said Union High School student, Chamaiya Payne.

Dr. Roger Kollock, who is a professor at TU, said he sees a bit of himself in these students and wants to give them the resources needed to pursue the career that he loves.

"A lot of these kids are probably going through a lot of the same difficulties that I went through as a high school student so it's just great for me to be able to give back in this kind of way," Kollock said.

Camp leaders said it's important to expose kids to the medical field early.

Students were shown realistic scenarios to make the lesson as hands-on as possible.

"We're hoping to inspire them into a profession that they feel they can see themselves in and a way to get there that seems economically reasonable," said TU Director of Nursing and Anesthesia Lisa Reidel.

Payne said she hopes to be a doctor so that she can inspire someone else who looks like her.

"Representation definitely matters," Payne said. "Sometimes when you have representation, it kind of like brings people together. You get a better understanding."

Students will have two more days of camp this week, where they will learn more about the college admission process.