UNE welcomes high school students for Health Career’s Exploration Summer Camp

A new school year is right around the corner, and for some students it will soon be time to decide what direction to take after high school.

The University of New England offered a unique summer camp experience that gave students an opportunity to learn more about potential career paths in the health professions. 

UNE's inaugural Health Career’s Exploration Summer Camp took place Saturday, August 4 through Monday, August 6.

The camp hosted 30 students, the majority of whom are new Mainers or students from rural and medically underserved communities.

“We received about 120 applications and accepted 30 students,” said Zoe Hull, M.P.H., program manager, Maine AHEC Network.

The camp was recently featured in the "School Notebook" section of The Forecaster.

The students were introduced to the health professions over three interactive and fun days of learning.

They worked with faculty and staff from the College of Dental Medicine, the College of Osteopathic Medicine, the College of Pharmacy, the Social Work program and the Nursing program. 

Since 2010, UNE has offered a Dental Career's Exploration Camp. Hull says it was expanded this year to give students an interprofessional education experience.

“We’ve had some students in the past express interest in some of the other health professions while they’ve been on campus looking around,” said Hull.

Most of the activities took place on UNE’s Portland Campus. The students were housed on UNE’s Biddeford Campus, exposing them to life in a college environment.

The long-term goal of the camp is to reduce health disparities for rural and underserved communities.

“The hope is that students from those areas will pursue a health career and go back and practice within their own community,” said Hull.