Springfield Hospital hosts high schoolers in MedQuest Program

Fifteen high school students with aspirations of careers in the medical field spent three days at Springfield Hospital taking part in Southern Vermont Area Health Education Center’s MedQuest Program.

This was no ordinary summer camp. The participants followed a curriculum that was designed and delivered by medical students from the Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine at the University of Vermont. The medical students also acted as mentors.

A typical day included practicing suturing with special kits and participating in a vital signs’ module in which they measured blood pressures, body temperatures and patella, biceps and triceps reflexes. They also performed lumbar punctures on mannequins and took part in job shadowing at Springfield Hospital and North Star Health.

Another component of the program was a unit on Health Empathy and Social Determinants of Health. Students performed activities that mimic conditions such as arthritis, visual and hearing impairments and neuropathy. This exercise gave them a greater understanding of the challenges that individuals with these conditions face every day.

During a panel discussion, health care professionals shared personal stories about why they chose a health career. At the conclusion of the program, the students gave poster presentations about themselves and the health career pathways that they wanted to pursue.

According to Amanda Richardson, director of Health Careers with Southern Vermont AHEC, programs like MedQuest enable high school students to get a glimpse into the health care field through experiential learning. It is hoped that these types of programs serve a larger purpose by encouraging students to pursue careers in health, thus helping to address the critical shortages in health care personnel in Vermont.

Click here for more information on MedQuest and other Southern Vermont AHEC programs.