Moree Secondary College students interested in a future career in health were given a taste of what to expect at university during the very first Allied Health Careers Workshop recently.
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The workshop was run by students from the University of Newcastle Rural Health Club and the University of Newcastle Department of Rural Health as part of the newly-established Rural High School Visit (RHSV) program which has been developed to encourage students in rural areas to study a health discipline at a university level.
The program is designed to inspire rural students to pursue health careers and increase university students’ knowledge of rural community health.
Moree Secondary College was the very first school to participate in the RHSV program.
Nine University of Newcastle health students, mostly all from rural backgrounds, visited Moree Secondary College on Tuesday, September 19 where they presented a question and answer session to year 11 and 12 students interested in pursuing a degree in health.
Students from years 8 to 12 also had the opportunity to participate in an interactive session with the uni students who spoke to them about the challenges and rewards of studying health.
In small groups, the students rotated to seven different allied health areas led by the University of Newcastle students.
Students got to get practical at the Physiotherapy and Exercise and Sport Science area, examine body parts at the Medicine stall, get their heart rate monitored at the Nursing station, learn about managing medication at the Pharmacy and Pathology stall, examine the technology involved in Medical Radiation Science (Radiography, Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Therapy), play with toy food at the Nutrition and Dietics section and learn all that’s involved in Pshychology and Neuroscience (overview of social work, psychiatry).
All university students who participated in the RHSV volunteered their time during their mid-semester break to do so.
Moree Secondary College careers advisor Sheree Cayirylys said it was a fantastic opportunity for students thinking about pursuing a tertiary degree in health.
“We greatly appreciate the team who have co-ordinated and delivered these workshops to our students,” she said.
“Programs like these will hopefully assist in dealing with the issue of the shortage of health professionals in rural and regional locations.”