Summer Health Career Academy - click to view more information
The Summer Health Career Academy is a one-week health career exploration opportunity for 9th and 10th grade students, interested in health careers, from the 7-county Southwest PA region. The Academy, designated as a Regional Summer School of Excellence by the PA Department of Education, affords students the opportunity for hands-on health career
exploration, interaction with health professionals and leadership development. The Academy is hosted at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. In addition to learning about a variety of health careers, students gain hands-on experience in various procedures, including intubation, blood pressure reading, dental sealants, pulse oximetry, reflexes, eye and ear exams. Additionally, students participate in a simulated bioterrorism role play exercise and debate health policy issues.
Tar Wars™ Tobacco Prevention Programs in Schools- www.tarwars.org
Southwest PA AHEC presents, and trains other health professionals to present, the Tar Wars smoking prevention program. Tar Wars, a program of the American Academy of Family Physicians, discourages tobacco usage in 4th and 5th grade students by emphasizing the short-term effects and cost of smoking, and strategies used by tobacco advertisements to encourage youth smoking. Over the past 10 years, AHEC has presented programs to more than 43,000 elementary students in southwestern Pennsylvania.
Science and Math Enrichment Programs
AHEC offers science and math enrichment programming to elementary and middle school students in the region. These programs, developed at the Baylor College of Medicine, focus on a discovery, hands-on approach to learning. The BrainLink program helps 4th-6th grade students learn about the brain and central nervous system through fun, experiential activities. Younger students, in grades 2-3, participate in My Health, My World to learn about health, nutrition and the environment through activities and story book readings.
The Great Hospital Adventure is a multi-media presentation for young learners, ages 4 to 6. The program, developed by NW PA AHEC, provides a proven program for young learners to explore health career opportunities and to develop healthy habits. This multi-media program lasts approximately 20 minutes and engages the children in a video story starring the delightful Health Careers Puppet Bunch. Each puppet represents a different health care career, having been based on real health care professionals who look like them and share the same profession. Children and teachers love this upbeat and informative presentation, which includes a Careers in Health coloring book that is filled with take-home information to extend each child's learning experience.AHEC Scholars Program
AHEC is developing a mentoring and career support program for undergraduate students from underserved or minority communities who are interested in medicine and dentistry. This cohort of students will have opportunities for shadowing experiences and will be paired up one-on-one with a health professional mentor. Additional activities throughout their college years will help them become stronger candidates for admission to medical or dental school.
For more information about any of these programs, contact AHEC:
412-363-0185 kmuschick@southwestahec.org
Southwest Pennsylvania AHEC, Inc.
5614 Elgin St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Phone: 412-363-0185
Fax: 412-363-5084
