As of now, the Health Careers Institute for High School Students, a free seven-day summer program for high school juniors and seniors scheduled for July 9th - 17th, will take place as planned. The deadline for applications, originally set for April 1st, has been extended to May 15th in order to accommodate the current guidelines for social distancing established by local school districts. Also, applicants no longer need to submit a teacher recommendation letter with their application packet.

This FREE program, sponsored by Midwestern University and the BHHS Legacy Foundation, is open to current high school juniors and seniors. Forty-eight participants will be selected based on their interest in science and the health professions, as demonstrated by coursework, volunteer activities, high school transcript, and an application.

Each day from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM during this exciting hands-on program, Midwestern faculty and advanced students will teach workshops in anatomy, physiology, and introductory skills for various health professions, with a special focus on how to prepare for college and what to expect from each profession. Guest lectures will include current medical topics such as Emergency Medicine, Sports Medicine, Drug Abuse, Healthcare Volunteer Opportunities, and more. In addition, participants will attend a medical field trip to the Abrazo Arrowhead Campus Hospital.

Hands-on lab topics, among others, will include:

• A Visit to the Anatomy Lab
• Surgery Basics: Suturing, Gowning, and More
• Vital Signs & Other Physical Exam Skills
• The Heart-Lung Machine & Open-Heart Surgery
• Beyond Medication: The Role of the Pharmacist
• Inside the High-Tech Dental Medicine Lab
• Physical Therapy in Motion: Skills & Assessment
• Osteopathic Medicine: A Hands-on Approach
• Podiatric Medicine: the Lower Extremities
• Sports Vision Training: Beyond Hand-Eye Coordination
• Veterinary Medicine Skills Workshop

Further information on the event and application requirements can be found at http://www.midwestern.edu/azhealthcareersinstitute.

Midwestern University is a private, not-for-profit graduate and postgraduate educational institution specializing in the health sciences with 12 colleges located on two campuses. The Illinois campus, located on a 105-acre site in Downers Grove, is home to over 3,000 students and the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine, the Chicago College of Pharmacy, the College of Health Sciences, the College of Dental Medicine-Illinois, the Chicago College of Optometry, and the College of Graduate Studies. The Arizona campus, located on a 156-acre site in Glendale, is home to over 3,900 students and the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, the College of Pharmacy-Glendale, the College of Health Sciences, the College of Dental Medicine-Arizona, the Arizona College of Optometry, the College of Veterinary Medicine, and the College of Graduate Studies. The University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, a Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. For more information, visit http://www.midwestern.edu or call 623-572-3215.


By Tony Johns