LIMA, OH (WLIO) – Saint Rita’s Medical Center is offering high school students a hands-on look at the health care field with a new immersive summer camp.
This is the first year the hospital has hosted the two-day program, aimed at teens interested in medical careers. The camp includes tours of different departments and interactive activities designed to teach important lessons—such as how quickly germs can spread and why safety gear is critical for hospital staff.
Some participants say the camp is helping them consider their future paths.
The camp includes tours of different departments and interactive activities designed to teach important lessons.
“Most high school kids really don't know what they're gonna go into. And a lot of them kind of drop out or not sure. So getting an experience like this to like, go in person and see everything is really nice to look at,” said Mya Verhoff, a senior at Columbus Grove.
“As a senior in high school. It's like, around the time where you have to start worrying about what do you want to do when you go off to college. So if I'm going to want to take part in the medical field. I feel like this was a good experience, so then I commit to kind of have different options to choose from,” said Londen Smith, a senior at Lima Central Catholic.
Organizers say the camp goes beyond just career exploration—it gives students a sense of what the hospital environment is really like.
“I hope they take away that health care is fun. You can be enjoyable. It's a great experience, and that they want to come back and do it again. We want them to get into a field and study a field that they love. We don't want students to get into a field and then they change their mind that that's not really what they wanted to do,” said Kate Blue, director of nursing at Mercy Health – St. Rita’s.
With this year’s great response, Blue says they will be looking at bringing it back next summer.
