A group of Lower Kuskokwim School District junior high students from Napakiak, Eek, Atmautlauk, Nunapitchuk, Mertarvik, Kwethluk, Nightmute, and Tuntutuliak attended a Health Careers Camp and visited YKHC as part of their camp experience on October 16-20. Camp activities included tours of the hospital and educational demonstrations in the radiology/diagnostic imaging and optometry clinics.

Camps and activities such as this align with the Napartet strategy to build a strong Alaska Native workforce as they underpin a strong foundation through early exposure to health careers and provide students with opportunities to engage with health professionals.

Additional camp partners, pivotal in the development of our current and future workforce, include Yuut Elitnaurviat, Arctic Chiropractic, and the Bethel Fire Department.

Hospital Tour: The camp visit culminated in an extensive tour of the hospital by our very own Nurse Educator, Nancy Haker and Jessica Pew, Clinical Project Manager in the Performance & Improvement Department.  The students and their chaperones were delighted and in awe to visit and see parts of the hospital that are often accessible only to employees.

Students were fascinated as our health professionals and interns highlighted aspects of their respective fields.

Radiology/Diagnostic imaging: Manager Justin King provided a tour that sparked the curiosity of a couple of students and provided the group with an inside look of what happens in radiology/diagnostic imaging in the delivery of quality healthcare.

Optometry: Optometrist interns, Eva Qiu (left) & Karen Watson (right), captivated students with the equipment optometrists use to examine the eyes and provided students with a chance to sit in a patient’s chair while they narrated the images showing on the screen.  Students were captivated to see the human eye through the lens of an optometrist.

LKSD Health Ready Academy Educational Specialist and camp director Jennifer Bacus extends her appreciation to YKHC and community partners for supporting her students and added that, “the students loved seeing and learning things that were new and exciting to many of them and especially loved eating at the cafeteria!”