LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) is accepting applications for two summer enrichment programs that introduce high school students to career opportunities in health care.
The Medical Applications of Science for Health (MASH) program is a statewide summer day camp for students entering grades 11 and 12. Participants gain exposure to health careers through hands-on activities, tours of health care facilities and interaction with medical professionals.
Most of the camps run for two weeks, but several sites plan to host “Mini MASH” camps that condense their activities into a single week.
MASH camps will be held at UAMS Regional Campuses or at local hospitals or colleges. The program will be offered this summer in Blytheville, Conway, Crossett, DeWitt, Dumas, El Dorado, Fayetteville, Fordyce, Fort Smith, Harrison, Hot Springs, Jonesboro, Lake Village, Magnolia, Malvern, Monticello, Paragould, Pine Bluff, Rogers, Texarkana, West Memphis and Warren.
Students entering grades eight through 10 are invited to participate in the Community Health Applied in Medical Public Service (CHAMPS) program, which features three- to five-day camps with many of the learning opportunities provided by MASH. CHAMPS will be offered in Crossett and Fayetteville.
These programs are made possible by a partnership between UAMS Regional Campuses and the Arkansas Farm Bureau. The MASH concept was piloted in 1988 by the UAMS South Central Regional Campus in Pine Bluff. The Farm Bureau recognized the value of these MASH camps in helping rural communities develop their own health care providers, and when initial grant funding ended, the Farm Bureau stepped up to ensure continuation and expansion of the programs. Over the past 35 years, more than 10,000 Arkansas students have participated in MASH or CHAMPS.
Camp dates and application deadlines vary based on location. For more information and to apply for these summer programs, go to UAMS.info/MASHCamps.
