Press Release
The St. George summer heat did not stop high school students from all over Utah from enjoying the Southern Utah Area Health Education Center’s (AHEC) Annual Health Career Education Camp this past week at Dixie State University (DSU).
Participants attended a variety of workshops related to health careers. DSU students led a dental workshop where participants took their own dental impressions. Several DSU Allied Health programs also welcomed students into their facilities to take part in a variety of workshop, including medical radiography, dental hygiene, emergency medical services, respiratory therapy, and nursing. The University of Utah’s Pharmacy program and Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine also participated in workshops. In addition, participants enjoyed a little piece of the college life, while staying in DSU’s new College View Suites. Students battled it out for the quiz bowl championship in an epic sudden death competition testing their knowledge of health care and the human body. They also kept cool at the Cottonwood Cove Park with a water balloon fight.
Local students Tanisha Robinson and Gracie Fausett of Carbon High School were among the camp participants. Both of these students added valuable qualities to their group, while participating in the various activities of camp.
Although the Southern Utah AHEC has hosted this camp each summer for nearly two decades, this year’s camp was especially successful. Participants were able to enter the classrooms and laboratories where health care professionals are trained. Kasey Shakespear, a program coordinator with the Southern Utah AHEC who plans the camp, offered this insight: “For years we had the programs at DSU come to us, but this year we went to them. Being able to see what it’s like to move a patient on an x-ray machine or to place a patient in a dental chair for an exam added a whole new dimension to the workshops. We are excited about the growing healthcare programs in Washington County, and the opportunities it creates for our camp.”
Next year’s camp will feature a tour of Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Ivins, which will be fully completed this fall, as well as workshops from the University of Utah’s Physician Assistant program, and more from Dixie State University. If you missed out this year, see the Southern Utah AHEC website to watch for updates for next year’s camp: https://www.suu.edu/ahec/health-resources.html. Questions regarding this program can be directed to Kasey Shakespear at (435) 879-4362.
