Washoe teens get look at medical careers
Local high school seniors learn about Care Flight during the Education Collaborative’s eighth annual Renown Regional Medical Center’s Hospital Career Days, during which students in the Washoe County School District get a firsthand look at careers in the medical profession.
One question came to 17-year-old Shana Rogers’ mind Tuesday after she watched video of a gastric bypass surgery.
“If the patient eats too much, can the staples fall off?” the Galena High School senior asked.
Surgical nurse Richard Davis said if the staples come off it would be a result of improper stapling as opposed to excessive eating.
That was among several questions Renown Regional Medical Center staff answered to begin the eighth annual Hospital Career Days. The four-day program, coordinated by the hospital and the Education Collaborative, aims to give Washoe County high school students a look at careers in the medical profession.
“I just like knowing that some time down the road they’re going to be taking care of me and I had a small part in that,” Davis said.
Skills needed
The event will continue through Friday and is expected to draw about 1,000 students in advanced science classes to the hospital at 1155 Mill St.
Students attended workshops, tours and demonstrations to learn of the skills needed to pursue careers in areas including nursing, surgery, rehabilitation therapies, dietary services and laboratory analysis.
“I hope what they’re coming away with is that there is a breadth of opportunity in the health care world that they weren’t aware of,” said Dennis T. Hoban, hospital director of recruitment services.
About 1,000 unique professions exist within the hospital and it’s affiliates, he said.
Emergency medical service stood out to Spanish Springs High senior Logan Wood after he watched paramedics land a helicopter.
“I want to make a difference and they can truly make a difference when it comes to life or death,” Wood, 18, said.
Spanish Springs senior Cynthia Hernandez said viewing a video surgery changed her career choice from surgery to nursing.
“I thought I could handle it but, actually looking at it, I realized I couldn’t,” said Hernandez, 17.
Other students also said they have a better idea of the career they want to pursue in medicine because of the workshops.
“I don’t know what I want to do yet but this opportunity has given me a lot of options,” said 17-year-old Marisa Agha, a junior at Galena High School.
This article originally appeared in Reno Gazette-Journal.
