High School Students Learn About Health Care at RVU’s MASH Camp

Forty-seven students from local high schools attended the Medical Academy of Science and Health (MASH) Camp on September 16^th and 17^th at Rocky Vista University.

The club officers of Rotary Community Corps of RVU (RCC/RVU) organized the camp: Mia Nevala, OMS II (President), Amelia Sneve, OMS II (Vice President), Richard Rodriguez-Brizuela, OMS II (Treasurer), and Molly McLellan, OMS II (Secretary). The camp gives high school students an interactive glimpse into the world of health care and the careers it has to offer. The event was filled with guest speakers and hands-on workshops and included activities like suturing, splinting, injections, ultrasound, and a cadaver lab demonstration.

Beau Condie, OMS II, led a workshop on taking a patient’s vitals and medical history. “Students left with a better understanding of how to build trust with patients and obtain important information aiding in diagnosis,” he said. “We had a wonderful time conversing with the MASH Camp participants and felt reenergized by their interest in health care.”

During the injection workshop, students were taught how (and when) to perform intramuscular, subcutaneous, and intradermal injections, with students practicing on oranges and hotdogs. “I thought the event was a great way to get high school students in the community interested in the health field and to get hands-on experience with some of the things they will be learning if they decide to continue on that career path,” said Tiffany Tahata, OMS II. “Many of them were very inquisitive and excited about the activities. It was rewarding to be able to interact with them and teach them to help foster their interest in the health field.”
The camp concluded with participants receiving a MASH camp t-shirt and a certificate of completion. SD McLellan said, “MASH Camp was an amazing experience. I was humbled by the passion and aspirations of our high school participants. They reminded me how amazing the human body truly is and what a privilege it is to study health care. For example, when one participant held a brain for the first time, she exclaimed, ‘This is crazy. I am holding someone’s everything!’ I went into the weekend hoping to get these kids excited and interested in healthcare. I did not expect to leave as inspired and rejuvenated as I did.”