Jr. MedStars 2012

The second Jr. MedStars event was held at OHSU on November 10-12 with over 40 new and returning students in attendance. Enthusiastic students arrived with their parents and guardians Thursday night, eager to learn more about health care careers. After a brief introduction and some fun ice breaker games, students were assigned rooms and left to get acquainted with roommates for the rest of the evening and to prepare for the full day of activities ahead. The students had an early start, beginning at the OHSU Center for Health and Healing, breaking into small groups and were able to speak with a variety of medical professionals. The students were very receptive to what they had to say, behaving professionally and asking lots of questions. The healthcare professionals were great with the students; they talked about how their passions brought them to their respective careers, gave specifics about the education required and gave the students advice about choosing the right paths for themselves.

Following their time with the OHSU students and staff, they took the tram up to Marquam Hill for a lunch time presentation by Ava Isadora Asher, medical student at New York Medical College, who shared her experiences. She gave the students an insight into the hard work and time commitment to become a doctor. After lunch they headed to a surgery presentation lead by Dr. Spight. He started off showing them proper surgery attire by dressing up one of the students. He had brought along with him several other surgeons and surgery residents to give their perspective about the field. They all had fascinating insights into surgery, and once again, the healthcare professionals shared their journeys and some encouraging words for the students. The surgery staff was then gracious enough to take the students into the OHSU surgery skills lab where real medical students come to learn and hone their skills. The students learned how to suture, use an ultrasound machine, work with minimally invasive surgery tools, and wash their hands properly for surgery. These were just some of the activities the students were involved with.

When the students were done with their medical adventure at OHSU, they were whisked away to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry to see Gunther von Hagens' Body Worlds which focused primarily on the human brain. It was wonderful to see the students' strong interest in the exhibit. At one point a group of students were hovering by a skeletal system quizzing each other on all the different bones that they knew. The looks on their faces while walking through Body Worlds were of intrigue and excitement; it was obvious that they learned quite a bit from what they were seeing.

After all the excitement for the day and exhausted from the day's activities, the students were all asleep by 10pm. The next morning the students were sad to say goodbye and see their time end. When the parents did arrive the students were eager to tell them about all the things they had seen and done. It is through programs like Jr. MedStars that we are able to nurture the desires within our youth to join the medical field, in hopes that these desires will turn into actions. By supporting programs that expose rural students to these possibilities, we increase the chance that they will pursue their dreams and come back to serve their local communities. Staff saw firsthand the passion that these high school students had for a career in the medical field and how much this program sparked their interest in careers they didn't even know existed within the medical field.

The following students from the southwest region were chosen to participate:

Ariel Barlow-Crogh, Crater High School
Emily Bennett, Rogue River Junior/Senior High School
Andrew Berry, Joseph Lane High School
Riley Dillard-Boyd, South Medford High School
Clare Dittemore, Roseburg High School
Cody Early, Roseburg High School
Karli Gabica, Eagle Point High School
James Hawes, Rogue River Junior/Senior High School
Ashley Hogue, Douglas High School
Eston Hughey, Jolane Middle School
Stephanie Leal, Talent Middle School
Gabriel Perry, Crow High School
Cole Van Anrooy, Roseburg High School
Ashley Weaver, Roseburg High School
Austin Weaver, Roseburg High School
Garrett Wedge, Roseburg High School
Chase Whitten, Crater High School
Kayla Winston, Roseburg High School