Pre-College Health Professions Camp Immerses High School Students in Real-World Healthcare Experiences

Delivered through a three-credit course, Introduction to Health Sciences and Health Careers, the program offered over 20 high school students a rare opportunity to step inside the world of five key health sciences disciplines: Speech-Language Pathology (SLP), Occupational Therapy (OT), Physical Therapy (PT), Physician Assistant (PA), and Athletic Training (AT).

Building Skills for Future Healthcare Leaders

In addition to gaining an overview of each profession, students developed a foundation of essential skills for success in the healthcare field, including resilience, grit, teamwork, interprofessional collaboration, effective communication, and cultural competence and humility.

Each day of the course was dedicated to one of the five health science professions. Under the guidance of SHMS faculty, students engaged in experiential learning activities that simulated real-world clinical settings.

Highlights included:

• Hands-on laboratories focused on Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), dysphagia and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems.
• Simulation experiences in stroke care, physical mobility assessment, and neonatal intensive care (NICU) medical evaluation.
• CPR training and a CPR challenge, ensuring participants learned vital emergency response skills.

These immersive experiences were designed not only to expose students to healthcare career paths but also provide them with realistic, transferable skills they can use in their future career endeavors.

Collaboration at the Core

Teamwork was a central theme throughout the camp. Students worked together in small groups to complete a capstone project, where they researched a specific diagnosis requiring input from all five professions. This exercise underscored the value of interprofessional collaboration in providing comprehensive patient care.

Through group work, role-playing, reflective practice and facilitated discussion, participants experienced first-hand the importance of communication and coordination on healthcare teams. Faculty encouraged active learning, enabling students to step into the role of a healthcare professional while considering the patient’s needs.

Impact and Future Opportunities

For many students, this introduction to health sciences and health careers provided real world experiences that provided them with clarity about their professional interests. Some left with a stronger commitment to their chosen field, while others discovered new career paths they had not previously considered. Elizabeth Wood, one of the student participants stated, “This program opened new doors where a career in speech-language pathology could take me and the different areas of speech. It opened my mind and made me curious about other health professions too."

The students took advantage of every opportunity they were afforded during their time at Seton Hall. They immersed themselves in the culture of the institution and took the first step toward a career path in the health sciences. Assistant Dean of SHMS Natalie Neubauer, Ed.D., CCC-SLP noted that, “It was encouraging to see them collaborate and engage in critical thinking and joint decision-making that involved consideration of each other’s perspective. They exuded necessary traits to be an effective healthcare professional."

The Pre-College Health Professions Summer Immersion Program reflects Seton Hall’s commitment to preparing the next generation of healthcare leaders by offering early exposure to the skills, knowledge and mentality needed in today’s interprofessional healthcare environment.

Categories: Education, Health and Medicine