It’s no small feat to bring employers, educators, and workforce partners together for student learning opportunities. Doing so this summer has been rewarding for the Arrowhead Area Agency on Aging and SCRUBS Camp participants.
AAAA co-coordinated SCRUBS Camps for students entering grades 9–12 to learn about careers in healthcare. The camps were created with Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College and JET (formerly the NE MN Office of Job Training). Minnesota North College – Hibbing and FDLTCC hosted the camps.
Indigenous Healthcare Career Exploration Camp
Iron Range Area SCRUBS Camp
Students spent two nights in the college dorms, meeting others from across the region. They experienced hands-on sessions focused on various healthcare fields, including dentistry, acupuncture, nursing assistant, nursing, EMS, mental health, pharmacy, medical lab technician, physical therapy, occupational therapy, radiology tech, surgical tech, CNA vs MA, respiratory therapy, and more. Students also took field trips to RSI Westbrook Equine Therapy Farm, the UMD School of Medicine, and UMD College of Pharmacy.
SCRUBS participants did service projects that benefited local communities and helped the students learn about local challenges.
“This camp is really fun. I totally recommend it. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about different branches of nursing and doctoring. There’s so much more than just being a nurse or a surgeon or a doctor.”
Emerald Estabrooks, International Falls.
“It really just brings the whole thing to life. You can see as much as you want on TV, but to see someone talking about the time they’ve held a liver in their hands, it’s just so cool.”
Teddy Johnson, Ely
For more information about the Hibbing SCRUBS Camp and Indigenous Healthcare Career Exploration Camp, visit the ARCHS (Arrowhead Region Consortium for Healthcare Staffing) website.