Carilion Clinic in Roanoke, Virginia is working to address the nationwide shortage of healthcare workers by introducing local high school students to jobs in the medical field. Students like Callie Newbill, a 10th grader at North Side High School, who dreams of becoming a pediatric nurse inspired by her grandmother who was a nurse.
Another student, Franklin County High School Junior Jamriya Hale, aspires to become a travel nurse or work in the trauma room to help people live longer. Emma Ostrander, a senior at Cave Spring High School, has her sights set on becoming an EMT or working in a trauma center to save lives.
These students represent the future faces of healthcare in the Roanoke Valley. Through programs like Camp Carilion, a dozen high schoolers from Southwest Virginia have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the medical field, from learning CPR to stitching up wounds.
Karri Proctor, the Student Services Manager at Carilion Clinic, emphasizes the importance of exposing students to various aspects of healthcare to help them find their path in the field. With a nationwide shortage of healthcare workers projected to persist into the future, training programs like Camp Carilion are crucial in preparing the next generation of medical professionals.
The students participating in Camp Carilion are excited about the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives and see healthcare workers as real-life superheroes. They are eager to train and work towards becoming superheroes themselves one day.