July 11, 2018
34 Underserved Youth from Coatesville & Chester Examine Health Care Careers Up-Close At WCU’s Health Career Summer Academy
Thirty-four underserved youth from Coatesville and Chester are receiving hands-on access this week to what it might be like to be an actual athletic trainer, a nurse, a respiratory therapist, a speech-language pathologist, and others during the Health Career Summer Academy hosted by West Chester University’s College of Health Sciences.
In partnership with Main Line Health, the five-day community outreach effort is introducing dynamic health care careers to youth who might not otherwise have the opportunity to explore such viable professions. Arriving by bus at 9:30 a.m., the high school first-year students, sophomores, and juniors will meet tomorrow Thursday, July 12, and Friday, July 13, on WCU’s South Campus at Sturzebecker Health Sciences Building to begin an action-packed day.
On Thursday, July 12, the 34 youth will:
- Conduct patient assessments in the Speech and Hearing Clinic & others will learn their “nutritious ABCs” in the Nutrition Lab at 9:40 a.m.
- Experience what happens in a real Kinesiology & Human Performance Lab at 1:30 p.m.
On Friday, July 13, the high school students will:
- Learn the ins and outs of Respiratory Therapy at 9:40 am.
- Jump into strength & conditioning exercises in the Health Sciences Fitness Center at 10:40 a.m.
- Gather in teams to present what they learned throughout the action-packed week at 1 p.m.
- Receive individual certificates of completion at 2 p.m.!
“One of the College of Health Science’s strategic priorities is to recruit, retain, and create a welcoming and inclusive environment for students who reflect the diversity of our world today,” said Scott Heinerichs, dean of WCU’s College of Health Sciences and professor of sports medicine. “The initiative particularly speaks to this commitment and we are proud to be able to offer such a comprehensive program to these outstanding youth.”
