LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Regional Campuses, including Pine Bluff will host a statewide virtual summer enrichment program for current high school sophomores, juniors and seniors interested in learning more about careers in health care.
“Find Your Future in Health Care,” a free virtual event open to Arkansas students in grades 10-12, will be hosted July 19-20, each day from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. During the two-day program, students will be introduced to a variety of medical careers through hands-on activities and presentations from UAMS health care professionals and students.
“Last summer, we created the virtual Find Your Future in Health Care event in response to the lack of in-person programming due to COVID-19,” said Marcia Byers, Ph.D., RN, program director. “Through this format, we found that it was not only a safe alternative for students and staff, but we were also able to expand the reach of the program, engaging with students who would have been unable to travel to participate in one of our MASH or CHAMPS camps around the state.”
“While some MASH and CHAMPS camps have returned to in-person programming, Find Your Future in Health Care will remain on our schedule as a virtual two-day event.”
While part of the goal is to promote primary care, especially for rural and underserved areas, the program also seeks to introduce students to the idea of team-based care and to show them the variety of career options available in the field of health care.
“A goal of the program is to explore the many opportunities that are available in health care. Though we encourage students to consider roles as primary care providers, there are a variety of specialists in medicine who work alongside doctors and nurses,” said Destiny Carter, a recruiting specialist at the UAMS Southwest Regional Campus in Texarkana.
Forms can be found at regionalcampuses.uams.edu/find-your-future-in-healthcare-application. Along with their registration, students must submit a parental consent and medical release form, a confidentiality agreement form and an up-to-date high school transcript. Students who plan to attend must confirm that they have a computer or tablet with access to the internet. Registration ends Monday, May 2, with limited spots available.
This program is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $10,607,638 with 50% financed by UAMS Arkansas AHEC/Regional Campuses sources.
