MHA Health
Careers Center Holds First Annual Health Careers Awareness Camp
PRESS RELEASE
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JACKSON (June 27, 2005) – The Mississippi Hospital Association’s Health
Careers Center hosted its first annual Health Careers Awareness Camp on
June 13-17th at the Jackson Medical Mall. The Health Careers
Awareness Camp was a five-day summer enrichment program designed to
provide high school junior and senior students with an educational
experience that builds awareness of and interest in health careers through
a partnership of health care employers, health care practitioners and
educators.
Eighteen students throughout the Jackson Metropolitan Area attended this
first annual event including: Betty Alexander of Pearl High School, Portia
Boyd of Murrah High School, Tabitha Carpenter of Lanier High School, Ebony
Caston of Northwest Rankin High School, Maira Gonzalez of Ridgeland High
School, Norris Edney of Clinton High School, Joy Green of Jim Hill High
School, Tia Jenkins of Northwest Rankin High School, Courtney McLaurin of
Clinton High School, Nicole Lowe of Murrah High School, Emily Partridge of
Clinton High School, Rachel Riley of Clinton High School, Camille Sanders
of Ridgeland High School, Chrystal Rogers of Canton High School, Kasey
Thompson of Hinds Community College Raymond Campus Career Center, Ericka
Upton of Madison Central High School, Marla Washington of Murrah High
School, and A’Leta Washington of Bailey Magnet High School for
Health-Related Professions.
Each day’s activities included speakers and presenters from different
fields of employment within the health care environment. The camp covered
careers ranging from nurses and physicians to dentists, pharmacists, and
more. This experience provided students with an opportunity to gain
awareness in career fields that they might otherwise be unknowledgeable.
The camp itinerary for Tuesday and Wednesday included a chance for the
students to visit hospitals in the Jackson area. Each student was able to
spend 2 hours a day in the hospital environment where they shadowed health
care employees. The hospitals that participated included: Baptist Memorial
Hospital, Jackson Hinds Comprehensive Health Center, River Oaks Hospital,
St. Dominic- Jackson Memorial Hospital, and University of Mississippi
Medical Center. In conclusion to the week’s activities, students were
divided into groups to prepare and present oral presentations to an
audience of students, Health Careers Center staff, family members, and a
panel of judges.
The Health Careers Awareness Camp is receiving a large amount of attention
and has proved to be a huge success within the first year. The Health
Careers Center plans to expand this concept even further by developing the
camp as a model health careers awareness program that can be replicated
and expanded nationwide.
If you are interested in learning more about The Health Careers Awareness
Camp or the MHA Health Careers Center, please contact Curnis Upkins, Jr.
at 368-3303 or visit our website at www.mshealthcareers.com.
CONTACT: Melissa Brewer
Communications Coordinator
MHA Health Career Center
Phone: (601) 368-3235
mbrewer@mhanet.org
About MHA
Health Career Center:
The MHA Health Careers Center was created by the Mississippi Hospital
Association in response to the shortages in nursing and allied health
careers. These shortages are threatening the delivery of timely and
quality healthcare in Mississippi and must be addressed. The Center
provides resources for individuals interested in health careers and to
hospitals for employee recruitment and retention.
The MHA Health Careers Center is focused on being the primary resource for
students, educators, job seekers and healthcare employers interested in
health care information and occupations in Mississippi. By forming
partnerships with educational institutions, healthcare employers and
healthcare professional organizations, we are working to ensure that the
medical needs of all Mississippians are cared for by a sufficient number
of well-trained professionals.
