Students explore health care careers, Harlan County Summer Scrubs Camp Held at Harlan ARH

The Southeast Kentucky Area Health Education Center (SE AHEC) in conjunction with Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College recently hosted a Summer Scrubs Camp sponsored by Harlan ARH Hospital. The Harlan County Summer Scrubs was held July 14 thru July 17 to give local high school students interested in pursuing a health care career the opportunity to explore various careers through shadowing experiences and hands on activities.

Each day of the camp, students were afforded the opportunity to speak with, ask questions of, and observe healthcare professionals at work. Students were given a chance to see behind the scenes of the Harlan ARH Hospital and complete job shadowing in several major departments. The camp included various hands on activities throughout the week.

Students had the opportunity to learn basic suturing techniques with the assistance Dr. Fazal Ahmad, as they practiced their skills on SurgicalPal Suturing Simulators.

With the help of Kharla Sexton, SKCTC Faculty- Clinical Laboratory Technology, students learned how to draw blood from the phlebotomy simulation arms.

Students also participated in a laboratory and pathology presentation lead by ARH physician, Dr. Nandukumar Bathija.

On Friday, students traveled LMU in Harrogate, Tenn., to tour the DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine. While at the impressive facility, current medical students gave the scrubs camp students a detailed tour of the school as well as spent the day with them in the classroom facilitating an anatomy lecture and then an interactive vital signs course in the manipulation lab taught by Dr. Howard Teitelbaum, faculty member.

Tiffany Scott, Health Careers Program coordinator and camp director stated, Programs like these give students the opportunity to explore different career options in an interactive and hands- on approach. Students dont get to just read about the career they actually get to experience it. Our Harlan County Summer Scrubs Camp couldnt exist with the cooperation and support of our sponsor and the many health care professionals who so generously donated their time to speak and work with our students. We sincerely appreciate their dedication and assistance. It was vital in making this project a key component of promoting and maintaining an interest with our future generation of healthcare providers.

Ten students participated in this years Harlan County Summer Scrub Camp.

Students Pictured: Ryland Atkins, Logan Brown, Hannah Clem, Kelly Cox, Kaitlyn Estep, Courtney Forester, Samantha Henson, Evan Howard, Emily Nantz, and Kaityln Skidmore

Also Pictured: Tiffany Scott, SKCTC/AHEC Health Career Coordinator; Dan Stone, Harlan ARH CEO; Michael Gayheart, AHEC Director

Camp participants Ryland Atkins and Evan Howard concentrating on improving their Suturing Skills

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