King’s Hosts Interactive Health Science Summer Camp

King’s College held its fourth annual Health Science Summer Camp this week, which helps high school students sample a variety of health care professions through a series of interactive workshops run by faculty experts.

The college launched the camp three years ago to encourage more teenagers to pursue a career in the health sciences. Jenn Dessoye, Ed.D., O.T.D.—a King’s faculty member with more than 20 years of occupational therapy experience and 10 years in higher education—serves as the camp director.

Campers participate in physician assistant, occupational therapy, athletic training, exercise science, nutrition, dentistry, nursing, and chiropractic sessions using the same tools and facilities offered to the College’s health care majors. They learn how to perform sutures, injections, full patient assessments, and other essential skills. They also get access to a cadaver lab.

Students fill out surveys both before and after camp so the organizers can track the impact of each session on the students’ career interests. The camp also includes information on education tracks and earning potential for dozens of health care professions.

“There’s no doubt this unique opportunity to sample a variety of medical professions has been an invaluable service to our campers,” said Dr. Dessoye. “Whether the camp inspired them to follow-through on their current goals or choose a different medical career that’s a better fit for them, it’s been rewarding to see more than 80 percent of them go on to pursue related degrees and professional certifications.”

The campers come from over a dozen school districts in Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey. The volunteer instructors include local health science professionals and King’s faculty and students.