Justice students learn about health careers at Inova Fairfax Hospital
“I didn’t know what I wanted to do after high school,” says Justice High School junior Shelly Morales. But then after joining the Public Health Youth Ambassador Program and participating in a Dream B!G event at Inova Fairfax Hospital on April 4, she says, “it opened my eyes to a health career.”
Now Shelly is interested in pursuing a career in radiology or as a nurse specializing in premature newborns. She called the event at the hospital “the best field trip ever.”
About 80 Youth Ambassadors from Justice and Mount Vernon high schools took part in the event, which featured presentations from professionals and hands-on activities aimed at encouraging the students to consider careers in healthcare.
They learned there are many more health-related jobs besides doctor and nurse. Inova’s Dream B!G program offers opportunities for youths and adults to explore healthcare career paths through interactive activities and engagement with professionals.
In one room, students tried to “drive” on a drunk-driving simulator while responding to texts. No one got very far before “crashing.” The Inova employee who led that exercise explained how health professionals analyze crashes to make cars safer.
Among other activities, the students tried to sort shapes while wearing distortion goggles that simulate the vision of a stroke victim. Professionals with Inova’s Advanced Surgical and Education Center used manikins to demonstrate how robots are used in surgery.
Neurologists gave a presentation on brain health. University of Virginia medical students taught the students how to check blood pressure and use a stethoscope to listen to heart and lung sounds.
Sahal Abdou, an 11th grader at Justice, is interested in a health career but is leaning toward becoming a dentist or pharmacist because “I can’t deal with blood.” She had braces for seven years and after spending so much time with dental professionals, she decided, “this looks really cool.”
Sanga Omari, a sophomore at Justice, is considering a career as a medical assistant. She said it was a great experience listening to professionals talk about why they’re passionate about their careers.
The Dream B!G program started two years ago, but this was the first time they brought in students from the Public Health Youth Ambassadors, a program funded by Fairfax County’s Health Department.
“We want to introduce students to the world of healthcare,” said Scott Folks, director of the Youth Ambassadors program. “We want to stimulate students’ interests.”
The Dream B!G event showed students there are careers that combine health with transportation, engineering, and so many other things, Folks said. “You don’t have to be around blood. There’s something for everyone.”
There are 42 Youth Ambassadors at Justice High School. They take a class in public health two or three times a week during their advisory period. The curriculum was developed by the George Mason University School of Public Health and Morehouse School of Medicine.
The students also complete online lessons, carry out a community health project, and volunteer at local events, such as blood drives. When they complete the program, they get a certificate from GMU and Morehouse.
Dr. Steve Narang, president of the Inova Fairfax Medical Campus, told the students that 1.9 million healthcare jobs open every year in the United States.
It’s not only a field with lots of different kinds of opportunities, he said; “With healthcare, you can make a difference.”
