1st row left to right: Abbie Lucy, Mary Katelyn Hite, Meredith Graham, Drew Jones, Claire Williams, Jayla Whitehead

2nd row left to right: Hazel Willis, Education Manager and Camp Coordinator,  Kailey Smith, Alease Cleaton, Tristan Buchanan, Cassidy Smith, Lexi Weaver, Grace Howell, Yyetta Carter, Theresa Griles, RN Educator

Our Future Health Care Providers

Submitted by Hazel Willis, RN, BSN

CSI (Career Scene Investigators) returned to VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital, not to investigate crime scenes, but to explore the suspects of health care. VCU Health CMH offered a week camp to seventh and eighth graders from local middle schools July 29th thru August 2nd.  Thirteen students from Mecklenburg, Lunenburg, and Brunswick County Middle Schools participated in the camp. The focus of the camp was to give students an opportunity to learn about the many exciting careers available in health care. The camp offered a variety of activities that allowed the students to observe and interact with health care professionals in their work environment.  The campers rotated through various departments getting hands on experience with simulated activities that health care professionals perform daily.         

The middle school years are the ideal time to introduce students to the various career opportunities in health care. It attributes to the selective science, math, and or English courses that they may include into their curriculum as they choose their classes throughout their high school years. By the end of the week some of the campers want to be doctors, nurses, and physical, speech or occupational therapists; while others want to become engineers, computer technologists or marine biologists.  We are excited that some of our campers from previous years chose health care careers; have graduated from college; and are currently employed here at VCU Health CMH as registered nurses, certified nursing assistants and exercise physiologists.   

VCU Health CMH is pleased that they can offer this excellent opportunity to area students to learn about the world of health care.  Southside Virginia Community College in Alberta participates and supports the camp each year with the provision of activities and a pizza lunch. Southside Virginia Rescue and VCU Health Med-Evac also participate in the activities for the campers. According to the students, it was a fun week and they learned what health care professionals do daily to help and provide care to others. 

We encourage other middle school students to apply to attend the CSI Camp next summer. The information and the application for the camp will be delivered to the local schools in the Spring of 2020 and it will also be available on VCU-CMH.org.