From June 10 to June 15, ETSU’s College of Medicine will be hosting their sixteenth Medical Summer Camp.
The camp is for rural high school students interested in pursuing a career in health sciences; the students must be rising juniors, seniors or current seniors.
The camp is primarily for students interested in becoming a physician but those interested in nursing, pharmacy or another discipline in the health science field can apply.
To be eligible, students must be a resident of Tennessee or ETSU border counties in North Carolina and Virginia.
This program started in 2002 when Carolyn Sliger and her colleagues attended a conference in Chicago where they witnessed other medical schools that successfully implemented similar programs.
The program is targeted at rural students due to the lack of hospitals and opportunities available for these students to be exposed to the medical field.
Registration is $215 per student. This covers the students’ three meals per day, rooms in Governor’s Hall, gas and usage of state cars and supplies for hands-on activities.
“For example, they have to buy pigs feet so that the students can practice making stitches,” said Sliger.
In addition to this, students will spend a lot of time in the simulation labs, diagnosing and treating patients.
Some didactics students can look forward to are nursing, pharmacy, public health and nutrition.
“Part of the program is focused on nutrition and exercise,” Sliger said.
During the camp students will rise at 7:00 am for breakfast then at 8:00 am they will start their didactics for the day.
Their work for the day ends at 5:00 pm and then their extracurricular activities begin.
On Sunday and Wednesday they will do a rope obstacle course while Monday and Tuesday they will be visiting sites on and off campus.
“Thursday is their free day,” said Sliger.
Although the students are allowed to relax on this day, the camp does have an optional activity for them.
“But we traditionally take them hiking,” Sliger said.
