Marian University announces its second annual Healthcare Camp scheduled for June 20-24, 2022. This day camp is an immersive experience designed for high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors interested in pursuing careers in healthcare. 
Sponsored in part by a $2 million gift from the Tom and Julie Wood Family Foundation, Marian's Healthcare Camp allows high school students to explore future healthcare professions such as nursing, medical practitioners, research scientists, and exercise and sports science specialists. In a collaborative effort with the College of Osteopathic Medicine (MU-COM), the Leighton School of Nursing, and the department of exercise and sports science, "campers" will explore the health professions world from inside the Michael A. Evans Center For Health Sciences, a state-of-the-art facility on the Marian University campus located at 3200 Cold Spring Road in Indianapolis.
Students from MU-COM, the school of nursing, and the exercise and sports science program will work closely with camp participants as mentors. "Marian's Healthcare Camp was an incredible opportunity to mentor the next generation of potential healthcare professionals in an engaging environment that challenged counselors and campers alike," said Ashley Orr, a second-year osteopathic student (OMS-II).
Healthcare Camp is a fully interactive, hands-on experience. Seth B., a camper from last year, shared that the Healthcare Camp was "a great chance to give people wanting to get into the medical field "hands-on" [experience]. Going into my Senior year..., I now can focus my goals/path more towards physical therapy/nursing."
Campers will explore various healthcare careers through the lens of daily case studies, to follow patients through their wellness journey. Participants will learn several clinical skills by performing them in Marian’s medical simulation center and will see for themselves how laboratory-centered scientific research is critical to saving lives and results in healthcare providers treating patients. Additionally, they will learn to splint broken bones and delve into the science of sports performance.
The mission of the Marian University Healthcare camp is to help enlarge the pipeline of healthcare professionals from populations underrepresented in medicine in effort to address health disparities and inequities. According to the 2020 United States (U.S.) census, the U.S. is now 57.8 percent white, 18.7 percent Hispanic, 12.4 percent Black, and 6 percent Asian. Although the diversification of medical school applicants has seen positive movement over the past few years, there is still significant ground to cover. The Association of American Medical Colleges reports that in the 2021-22 application cycle, medical school applicants identifying as Black/African American or Hispanic/Latino reached only 11.7 percent each.
In a research project by OMS-IIs Ashley Orr and Kasey Kruse to measure camp participants' awareness of career options within the healthcare industry, in pre- and post-camp surveys, the participants' ability to recall occupations grew, on average, to include six additional (5.4 to 11.5) careers. 24 percent of campers identified as Hispanic, while 46.1 percent selected Caucasian, 42.3 percent marked Black, and 15.3 percent preferred not to answer.
Kruse, also a 2021 Healthcare Camp mentor, said, "This camp is something I wish I had the opportunity to experience in high school, and I look forward to growing the number of students that attend."
The cost to attend is $100 and includes lunches, snacks, one overnight stay in a residence hall, camp materials, and more. Camp scholarships are available for those who qualify. To allow time for the application review process, applications must be received by Sunday, May 15, 2022.