Please note - Programs may be impacted by COVID-19 restrictions.
Valley Health offers a wide variety of education focused on career exploration
in the health professions. You may already know about doctors and nurses,
but what other careers might be of interest to you? To get started, check out
this fast-paced video “FIND YOUR PATH: Health and Medical Science Careers.” Then
read on to identify the Valley Health System educational opportunity that’s
right for you!
Camp M*E*D. (Mentoring Everyone’s Dreams) at WMH
This is a fun, interactive learning experience for rising eighth and ninth
graders, in hopes they will consider a career in healthcare. Activities
include culturing germs from door handles and cell phones, suturing a
pig’s foot and a “Diaper Dynamo” race. This camp is
usually held the first week following the end of the school year. Space
is limited.
Camp WMC - Where Medical Careers Begin
A 4-day Middle School day camp for rising 6th-9th graders designed for
up to 20 youth. Through fun and interactive activities, camp participants
will explore many parts of the Medical Center, visit the nursing skills
labs and the cadaver lab at Shenandoah University, learn some basic clinical
skills such as hand washing, giving an injection, and starting an IV.
The camp week culminates in a celebration party showcasing the participants
and their activities. Cost is $175.
Health Sciences Academy (for grades 10 - 12)
Come Explore the Health Professions
This event offers hands-on activities and the opportunity to speak with
Valley Health professionals and regional colleges & universities.
What do healthcare professionals do? Why do people choose careers such
as nursing or pharmacy? In what areas can healthcare professionals practice?
Students at high schools in
Winchester and the counties of
Frederick, Clarke, Warren, Rappahannock, Shenandoah and
Page are invited to apply, with slots available per school depending on the
size of the student body. All applications are handled by the guidance
councilor departments at each high school.
Here are just a few examples of hands-on activities:
Explore cadaver lab
Apply hand washing to get rid of germs
Give an injection
Start an IV
Cast a finger
Listen to heart and lung sounds
Take blood pressures
Read an X-ray
Junior Volunteer Program (for high school students)
Junior Volunteer programs are currently available at Winchester Medical
Center and Warren Memorial Hospital providing the youth of our community
the opportunity to explore medical careers while serving our patients
and visitors within our facility. The Junior Volunteer program begins
in June and ends on Labor Day of each year. This is for youth who can
commit 50 hours of volunteer service, who are still in high school. Applications
include a health screening and TB test. Interviews will be conducted during
May followed with an orientation. Applications are available in The Volunteer
office February 14th to May 1st.
Medical Explorer Post 109
If you have an interest in exploring a career in the health and medical
field, then Post 109 would like for you to join them. Some of the areas
that you will be exposed to are Surgical Tech Program, Nursing Careers,
Pharmacy, Emergency Medicine, Rehab, Respiratory Services, Radiology Tech
School, and Cardiac Cath Lab. Post 109 is for boys and girls ages 14 to
20 with an interest in a medical career.
For information, please contact the Volunteer Department at
540-536-8158 or Bryan Lloyd at
540-662-2551.
Medical Careers Exploration (for children in middle school)
Several Valley Health facilities offer summer youth day camps, some for
middle school and some for high school age youth. The purpose of the day
camps is to explore a variety of health professions and introduce regional
youth to the healthcare environment.
Medical Careers Exploration (for high school students)
High school students are actively making decisions about future careers
and selecting vocational or academic programs of study. In some cases,
a student is interested in a health career, but needs additional information
about specific health professions. Educational opportunities for observation
experiences as well as participation in healthcare programs in the healthcare
setting can be arranged with advance notice and when students meet all
of the requirements to safely enter the healthcare environment.
Safe Sitter® program at WMH
The mission of a Safe Sitter® program is to prepare young adolescents
for the profound responsibilities of nurturing and protecting children.
Both boys and girls age 11 to 13 can attend this medically accurate program
that teaches them how to handle emergencies when caring for younger children.
During the course, students will practice basic lifesaving techniques
through the American Heart Association’s Family & Friends Anytime
CPR so they are prepared to act in a crisis. Students also receive helpful
tips to make them more confident caregivers. They learn safety precautions,
how to understand children of different ages, and even the business of
babysitting.
To successfully complete the program, students must pass a rigorous practical
and written test to show that they have mastered the key concepts and
have the skills necessary to handle an emergency. The cost is $50 for
a one-day class and $75 for a two-day class; classes are scheduled at
various times and hospitals throughout the year.
Safe Sitter® Coordinator Tracey Ramey can be reached at
540-636-0318.
