WKU Medical Center hosts it’s 3rd Camp CARE

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Western Kentucky University hosted its third summer program, Camp CARE, for students ages 13 to 15 who are interested in the medical field.

This program is aimed at helping students learn the different professions in the medical field before starting their college search.

Camp CARE is a week long camp where students get hands on practice with medical professions. From doing mock surgeries with the tools used in real ones to hearing professionals in the field talk about their jobs, the week is full of many new opportunities for the students.

Dr. Mark Flener emphasized the importance of getting students to understand the medical field as a whole and all of the professions that it entails.

“You know, as everyone knows, because we hear it a lot in the media is that we have such a shortage in health in our health workforce. So, you know, communities like Bowling Green really need to thrive on students that are here. A lot of students end up leaving after college. So by really, getting them connected to, the health care, like medicine or health, gives them an opportunity to start establishing some roots and staying after they graduate from college and being a part of the community here as a health care provider,” Flener says.

Flener also talked about how important it is not only for WKU and other areas to hold camps like these. He said that when he was a kid, he was allowed to volunteer in hospitals, but nowadays that isn’t possible, so it’s important to hold camp experiences like this to expose children to different professions in the medical career field.

“Having the experience of being exposed to health care and health care experts, but putting it with simulation activities, in a safe space. So that was kind of my vision to kind of marry all of that so that we can get students, really involved in some of their curiosity about health care,” Flener said.

WKU Medical Center brings experts in the field for not only the presentations but to also help lead the classes that the students can interact in. With this opportunity students can make connections with professionals and they can also meet people their age and create new friendships with people who have similar passions.

To find out more about Camp CARE and it’s importance visit the WKU website at wku.edu and search Camp CARE for more.