Taking health career exploration to the next level

 Recently, six high school students from southern Vermont spent five days immersed in activities like how to take blood pressures, start a peripheral IV, participate in a simulated Code Blue training exercise, spend time in a BOD POD to measure their body composition at Vermont State University Castleton Campus, and even observe how to safely administer Narcan when someone is overdosing.

 This and so much more,was part of Southern Vermont Area Health Education Center’s (AHEC) Advanced MedQuest Program which took place at Rutland Regional Medical Center. Having already taken the introductory MedQuest program last summer, these students were ready to navigate a more in-depth and accelerated health careers exploration experience. They also acted as various job shadows in pharmacy, orthopedics, physical therapy, behavioral health, and medical oncology.  Jenna Eaton and Jake Bleau, first year medical students at the Robert Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont, helped to create and implement the Advanced MedQuest curriculum in addition to providing mentoring to the students.

 “By offering health career exploration programs like Advanced MedQuest, students are gaining invaluable skills and experiential learning opportunities in the field of health care. They discover so many career possibilities that they never dreamed possible,” said Amanda Richardson, director of Health Careers Exploration for Southern Vermont Area Health Education Center (AHEC). 

“These types of programs can be defining moments for students in helping them decide which career pathway they want to pursue,” she added.