Assisted Living Home, Farm Animals, Help Students Discover Medical Careers

Students get a taste of working in the medical profession.
 
All with the help of residents at an assisted living facility, and some alpacas.
 
Jasmine Klein is heading into her junior year of high school.

She’s spending her summer learning about all medical careers.
 
She admits, “It’s all new to me.”
 
And yes, that involves barnyard animals.
 
“We’ve brought in animals before for pet therapy, and we thought it would be a good way to merge the students with the residents,” explains Jadie Winters, RN Clinical Director for Ecumen Evergreens Senior housing and memory care.

These teens are part of the first Scrubs Camp run through MSUM.

They’re learning how the folks at Ecumen Evergreens take care of their patients.
 
“The residents love when anybody can come and visit,” adds Winters.
 
Klein admits she was nervous about meeting the residents, but she quickly warmed up.
 
“I’m excited. I’m gonna meet more,” she says.
 
Events like this petting zoo here go to show students that a career in the medical profession might be a little different than they imagined.
 
“Get the students out of the classroom and into, quote the field,” says Misun Bormann with Health Force Minnesota.
 
Heath Force Minnesota sponsors Scrubs Camp.

Organizers want to help steer students into a profession where it’s becoming more and more difficult to find workers.
 
“I wouldn’t say it’s a constant struggle here,” says Winters, “but I would say soon it probably would be.”
 
And if the reaction these teens had is any indication, a few might find their ideal job helping care for others.
 
“Their talents and skills they have now, there is probably a career in healthcare that would meet those interests,” adds Bormann
 
About half of the kids at the scrubs camp are from the Twin Cities area.

Organizers wanted to show them what healthcare jobs are available in smaller metropolitan areas.