'Scrub Club' highlights medical careers

Dozens of Buffalo High School students recently enjoyed a hands-on, behind-the-scenes opportunity to explore careers in the medical field at Allina Health Buffalo Hospital.

The Oct. 14 “Scrub Club” event featured the emergency department, and included the chance to visit with ambulance and Life Link helicopter crews, short talks by various staff members about their career paths, and hands-on opportunities to practice CPR, suturing, splints, bandaging, and even intubation.

“I came because I just like learning about things in the medical field,” said BHS sophomore Ireland Morris. “I think it’s fun, and you never know what kind of situation you might need these skills in. It’s what I want to do when I’m older, so it’s exciting to be able to look into it now.”

Modeled on similar programs at other Allina Health locations – and following a pilot event that highlighted surgical services last spring – the evening was just the first of ongoing monthly Scrub Club gatherings planned for the remainder of this school year. Each event will focus on a different hospital department and the various jobs found in each.

Strong student interest
BHS Assistant Principal Ed Cox said about 50 students signed up for the October event, although scheduling conflicts reduced the number who actually attended to about 35.

“We really appreciate Allina Health offering this to students in the area. They stepped up and were creative in making this work in their setting,” said Cox, explaining that some of the high school’s advanced classes require students to do some form of job shadowing, which is ordinarily difficult in the medical field. “As a school, we really appreciate when our community partners offer their time and their talent. Having that interaction and experience where our kids are able to work with adults is invaluable because it allows our kids to see themselves in those different positions that were highlighted. It personalizes it. It’s not just a list of theoretical classes.”

While enjoying pizza during a break in the evening’s activities, students said they appreciated the kindness and enthusiasm of the hospital’s staff in sharing their knowledge and experience, the opportunity to ask questions, and the practical instruction.

“You learn skills you haven’t learned before, but then it also helps you know – like suturing, maybe you don’t like that – so you know you don’t want to go into a field that involves that,” said sophomore Lauren Westerlund. “It helps you know what you like and what you want to specialize in. And you pick up some basic skills, like CPR, which is really nice.”

Illuminating pathways
Along with the hands-on aspects of the evening, students had opportunities to hear from a variety of hospital staff about why they undertook careers in medicine, and the pathways they followed to their current positions.

“There’s a lot of variety in medicine,” said Emergency Physician Dr. Laura Contreras, adding that anyone with an interest should be able to find a good fit. “If the sight of blood bothers you, you can work in radiology or something else.”

Those staff stories helped students conceptually bridge the gap from high school to a professional job, offering examples of how others went about pursuing additional education and training.

“As a mother of high school-age students, I know there is so much pressure to know what you want to do next,” said nurse and Surgical Services Manager Jill Bjornson. “Everyone asks, ‘What are your plans after high school?’ It is really hard to know if a specific career fits not only your interests, but also the long-term goals and lifestyle that one desires to achieve. So many things have to be considered, and it’s hard to sort out the route to achieving goals. Getting the students in an environment and exposed to people working in these careers helps them [understand] what the career path might look like.”

Each speaker explained how their role fits into the hospital’s larger mission of helping those in need.

“It isn’t just about being a doctor or nurse. There are careers in radiology, emergency medicine, physical therapy, medical equipment, respiratory therapy, nutrition, support services and more,” said Bjornson. “Participants can attend any or all meetings that they have a desire to learn more about.”

“It’s a team sport,” Contreras told students, adding that each hospital position addresses essential aspects of care.

Students found that professional insight helpful as they explored various aspects of the emergency department.

“The reason I’m here tonight is because my dad’s a doctor,” said sophomore Claire Martin. “So I’ve always kind of seen what it’s about, but I’ve never gotten to actually experience it, and I just want to see if it’s an option for my future.”

Partnership opportunities
Gaining that personal access to a professional setting is a powerful thing, according to Cox.

“My dream is that we could eventually have kids do something similar, on site, in a variety of other career fields too,” he said. “We invite area business people, if they are curious about how they can partner with us, to reach out. We want to create opportunities for kids, and sometimes we don’t know what that could look like in different types of business settings.”

Anyone with an interest is welcome to connect with Cox at the high school. His contact information is available at www.bhmschools.org.

Bjornson added that the experience isn’t just a one-way opportunity for students, but is mutually beneficial. 

“I personally get a lot out of planning and presenting the program,” she said. “Reflecting on my journey and talking about my career journey reminds me of my reason why I became a nurse and why I chose to work in a community hospital. I also can see in other staff who volunteer for this program the energy and excitement that they bring to the club, sharing their story of how and why they went into their chosen profession.”