Students explore health science careers at ‘Take Our Kids to Work Day’
On November 6, 41 Grade 9 students from local schools visited Bannatyne Campus for Take Our Kids to Work Day.
The nation-wide initiative encourages students to spend a day at the workplace of a parent, relative, friend or volunteer host. The Rady Faculty of Health Sciences organized a full-day, hands-on program intended to expose the kids to a variety of health profession and scientific careers.
“We are proud to showcase our university and Rady Faculty of Health Sciences to students interested in the health professions and biomedical sciences,” said Brian Postl, dean, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, “As a faculty, we are pleased to be able to offer so many programs to train our province’s future health professionals – and do so with a commitment to diversity.”
The students rotated through five workshops where they learned about the various streams of health sciences education in the faculty, participated in fun activities and performed various scientific, medical and dental techniques.
In the Clinical Learning and Simulation Program’s Skills Lab, children learned how to take blood pressure, use a stethoscope, and try their hand at a machine that simulated what it is like to perform a laparoscopy. At the College of Dentistry, they were taught wire bending, a skill used in orthodontics. The students also participated in a discussion on different types of careers available within the College of Rehabilitation Sciences, looked through microscopes in the medical microbiology and infectious diseases workshop, and made sunblock and lip balm at the College of Pharmacy.
“We got to go to all the different stations and learn about the different areas of health care that I didn’t know existed, so I thought that was pretty cool,” said Olivia Brink, one of the students participating in the program, “My mom works in pharmacy, so I wanted to see what she does and also the different areas of medicine. I’ve been thinking about going into medicine but I’m not sure which specific area to go into. I thought I’d get a better idea by getting exposed to all the different things.”
When asked what stood out for her, Brink said the workshop at the College of Rehabilitation Sciences made an impression.
“I’ve always been attracted to physical therapy. When I got to look at the different bones and talk about acupuncture, it was really appealing to me.”
