Explore Health Careers

NW PA AHEC Camps

One of the most exciting events the NW PA AHEC has to offer, and something the NW PA AHEC is becoming known for, is the summer Health Career Camps. These exclusive summer camps provide a learning experience that will motivate and challenge a select group of high school students interested in health careers. The week-long resident camps are held at a different college campus in northwest Pennsylvania every year, so students not only reinforce their career goals, but get a unique taste of college life as well. Students experience life on a college campus, including dorm living and food service. Camp locations in the past have included Gannon University, Allegheny College, the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, and Thiel College (just to name a few). 

 The 2011 Health Career Camp at Gannon University was a great success.

Thank you campers - hope you enjoyed the experience!!

There will not be a Health Career Camp in 2012.  Thank you for your interest.  We hope to bring the camp back in 2013. 

Components of the Program
• Teamwork
Delivery of health care involves teamwork and interacting with people. To enhance this concept, students are placed into teams and given a clinical case study of specific health conditions that deal with culture, economic status and ethnicity found in this region of Pennsylvania. Students research and study their assigned case to determine all of the health careers involved with the patient’s condition and how these careers would help. Teams put together a presentation of their research which they present to peers and invited guests.

• Classroom Learning
Students are exposed to local health care professionals for hands-on learning about the careers. Students will also hear talks concerning cultural competency, professionalism, and charting their course to college.

• Shadowing
Students are given a specialized, comprehensive shadowing experience at one of the local hospitals that also includes a tour of the healthcare facility.
 

Participant Qualifications
To participate, students must:
• Be a freshman, sophomore, or junior enrolled in a Career and Technical School
• Attend the school in Clarion, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, Jefferson, Lawrence, McKean, Mercer, Venango, or Warren County
• Be interested in a health career
• Fill out and return the application (form, recommendation letter, and transcripts) to the NW PA AHEC by April 18, 2011 (available at school or online)
• Be able to attend the full week of camp and stay on campus
 

Selection Criteria
Up to 24 students will be selected for each camp based on the following criteria:
• Minimum grade point average of 2.5
• Personal essay describing interest in health care as a career including personal experiences, extracurricular activities and community activities
• Letter of recommendation from a guidance counselor, teacher, or community contact


If the student meets all of these requirements and their application is complete and submitted by the deadline, a selection committee will review all applications, and all students will be notified of their standing (accepted, wait list, or denied). If the student has other commitments during the week of the camp, they should not plan to attend.

 
For more information, please contact Jane Mullinax at the NW PA AHEC.

If you've attended one of the NW PA AHEC Summer Camps, or are thinking about attending, join our Facebook Group to connect with other campers, the NW PA AHEC staff, and other health professionals! 

I Went Camping With AHEC

NW PA Area Health Education Center | 8425 Peach Street | Erie, PA  16509 | P: 814-217-6084 | F: 814-864-4077