Medical careers camp expanding this summer

Middle and high school students in the north country are being encouraged by the Northern New York Rural Health Care Alliance, Inc. to enroll early in the agency's annual Medical Academy for Science and Health, or MASH, camp.

Sandy L. Hazen, the alliance's program manager, said the program has been reorganized based on input from previous camp participants. It was originally designed to be a one-time camp, but Mrs. Hazen said the Alliance found students came back wanting more.

"This was just intended for students to come for one year, and get an overview of what it's like to work in a hospital profession," she said.

Students in eighth through 12th grade from Jefferson and Lewis counties will learn of various health care professions from June 29 to July 1 at Lewis County General Hospital, Lowville; July 14 to 16 at Carthage Area Hospital, Carthage; July 20 to 22 at Samaritan Medical Center, Watertown; Aug. 3 to 5 at River Hospital, Alexandria Bay; and Aug. 10 to 12 at Jefferson Community College, Watertown.

Since previous MASH camp participants want to return this summer for the second or third time, this year's camp will encompass a curriculum base and be divided on the following three levels:

■ Level 1 — First-year students will explore careers in the healthcare field, and receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation certification.

■ Level 2 — Second-year students will learn how to provide basic first aid and survival skills, and apply sciences to health problems, including disease identification and investigation.

■ Level 3 — Third-year students will learn basic assessment skills, and explore illness through case studies, mini-lectures and diagnostic procedures. They'll also identify important high school courses to prepare for health careers.

The third level will be held at Jefferson Community College.

"They're getting a lot of knowledge with this, and it doesn't cost anything," Mrs. Hazen said.

Last year there were 38 MASH camp participants. Mrs. Hazen said she'd like to see double the number this summer.

Students are considered based on much criteria, which Mrs. Hazen said she would be happy to review with interested participants. For more information, call Mrs. Hazen at 755-2500, or e-mail her at sandy@nnyrhca.org.