M.A.S.H. Camp is coming to Northwest Missouri State University.
The Northwest Missouri Area Health Education Center (AHEC) and St. Francis Hospital and Health Services are jointly sponsoring the Missouri AHEC Science and Health M.A.S.H. Camp from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 4-5, at the Northwest campus and St. Francis Hospital in Maryville.
This day camp is intended to expose students to the world of science and health careers through science activities, opportunities to meet healthcare professionals, hands-on activities and more. Students completing sixth, seventh or eighth grades in 2009 can apply.
Jenny Davey, recruitment coordinator for Northwest Missouri AHEC, said they are very concerned about having an adequate healthcare workforce, particularly for under-served and rural communities.
"Introducing kids to health career opportunities, such as this two-day camp, is really where we start our workforce pipeline, cultivating their interests to pursue those careers," Davey said. "This early intervention is a catalyst for our work with those health professional training programs and current health providers."
Community Relations/Development Manager at St. Francis Hospital Rita Miller said the M.A.S.H. Camp brings the real world of health care to kids in a fun, interactive way, and helps raise awareness about the wide variety of jobs in health care.
"By working with the local health care leaders, AHEC is able to introduce students to career pathways that can lead to achievement of their professional objectives," Miller said. "There are not many opportunities that provide so much for so little."
Students who submit an application will be notified by mail whether they have been accepted into the M.A.S.H. Camp no later than Friday, July 24. Space is limited to 30 students. This camp will require a small fee, which includes a daily snack, lunch and materials. A limited number of fee waivers are available for families with a financial need.
The application deadline is Friday, July 17. To obtain an application or for more information, call (816) 271-7146.
The Missouri Area Health Education Center network is a federal, state and local partnership that promotes healthcare careers through recruitment, clinical training, education, community resources and collaboration. The MAHEC mission and objectives alight with the federal AHEC requirements: to enhance access to quality health care, particularly primary and preventive care, by growing and supporting Missouri's health care workforce. These efforts are supported in part with funds from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS); The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Health Professions; and local support mechanisms.
The Missouri Area Health Education Center accomplishes their mission by:
• Creating academic-community partnerships
• Promoting healthcare careers to Missouri youth
• Identifying and supporting potential health professionals
• Promoting high-quality training of health profession students
• Providing educational resources to increase the retention of practitioners
• Partnering with state agencies and other organizations to promote overall improvement in the community health status.
Maryville, Mo. —
