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HCL 2024 Summer: Health Professions Week and VetMed Camp

by Rodney Tanaka

July 29, 2024

Read 3 mins

An adult in a white lab coat assists a young girl, also in a lab coat, with a medical task using tools on a table.
WesternU CPM Assistant Professor Mary Schuh-Clark, DPM, works with a student during Health Professions Week.

Once again, Western University of Health Sciences showcased its dedication to educating the next generation of health care professionals through a series of transformative programs hosted on our California campus. With the Center for Academic Community Engagement (ACE) at the helm and the strong partnership and expertise of our faculty and student doctors, they designed and led the one-week Health Professions Week and Veterinary Medicine Summer Camp programs. These initiatives inspired high school students from our community and beyond to explore careers in health care, igniting their passion and curiosity for the health field.

Read more to learn about the programs and those involved:

HCL: Health Professions Week: High school students were introduced to a variety of health care careers, offering them an exciting glimpse into fields such as Podiatric Medicine, Medicine (DO), Nursing, and Dental Medicine. This event highlighted the unwavering commitment of WesternU faculty and student doctors to engage and mentor aspiring health care professionals, providing them with invaluable insights into the vast opportunities within the health care sector.

HCL: Veterinary Med Summer Camp: During this immersive program, high school students participated in interactive workshops focused on clinical skills, radiology, histology, and anatomy, as they followed the patient journeys such as “Dolla,” a 3-year-old Samoyed. Led by our dedicated student doctors, these sessions offered hands-on experiences that deepened students’ understanding of veterinary medicine, fostering a genuine interest in pursuing this rewarding career path.

These programs would not have been possible without the incredible dedication and hard work of those who crafted the curriculum and brought these experiences to life. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the following individuals for their exceptional contributions:

CPM: Tony Do, DPM Class of 2027, Hingrit Avendando de Cruz, Dr. Mary Schuh-Clark

CDM: Rojin Kharrazi, DMD Class of 2027, many CDM student volunteers, and Dr. Marisa Watanabe

CGN: Joel Bonilla, MSN ’24, Karina Barsegyan, many CGN student volunteers, and Dr. Ruth Trudgeon

COMP: Michelle Mata and Nicholas Morataya, both DO Class of 2027

CVM: Faculty & Student Doctor Leads: Ria Malhotra and April Marian Perez Rodriguez, both CVM Class of 2027, many CDM student volunteers, and Ken Noriega, BA, MS

WesternU’s goal with these programs is not only to educate but to inspire students to envision themselves as future health care professionals. We hope to see many of these talented and enthusiastic young individuals return this fall to join WesternU’s Health Career Ladder (HCL) program. The HCL program offers ongoing mentorship, academic support, and enrichment opportunities, guiding students on their journey to becoming health care leaders.

Five people, four in lab coats and one in scrubs, are gathered around a dog lying on the floor in a veterinary clinic. They appear to be engaged in a demonstration or examination.
WesternU CVM students taught high school students about veterinary medicine at the Veterinary Medicine Summer Camp at WesternU.

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