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Mesquite: Students explore careers in health care at Camp Medico
By Rachael Dickson, Contributing Writer
Thirteen-year-old Stella Niju worked frantically on the body lying beneath her, breathing into its mouth and thrusting deep into its chest with both palms. Others around her shouted encouragement as she continued to apply CPR, pushing for over a minute with her tiring arms.
Niju pulled away from the body, finally, exhausted. The dummy beneath her is made of blue foam and plastic, past any life.
The five other students around her in a classroom at Poteet High School worked on their dummies as well, but had difficulty finding the strength.
This is Camp Medico, the brainchild of nurse Ramirez, the clinical healthcare teacher at North Mesquite High School. The week-long camp is designed to get children ranging from fifth to eighth grade interested in healthcare. The six students in her class have learned how to conduct physicals, given shots to oranges, and toured the back of an ambulance with paramedics.
"With the four years of math and science in high school, there's not many electives students can take," Ramirez said. "I wanted to give kids a taste of my class."
Ramirez has designed the course to concentrate on practical aspects of medicine. Though the students have received a brief overview of bone identification and anatomical structure, she feels she would really need a two week camp to give them an in-depth look at anatomy.
"If these kids learn anything, I hope it's CPR," Ramirez said. "Whether they grow up to be parents or work in an office or become an interior designer, CPR can help them do something to save a life."
The students will also take field trips to a simulation clinic at Parkland Hospital, Texas Women's University, and Baylor Hospital.
"My mom told me how fun it would be to be a doctor," 12-year-old Gerald Onyekwere of Agnew Middle School said. "I'm really enjoying it. I learned how to do AED [Automatic External Defibrilation]."
Paramedic Shara Reid of Sunnyvale helps instruct the class. She offered up a story from her medical experience to illustrate to students the importance of standing clear when an electronic shock is administered to a patient during AED.
"One paramedic's foot was still on the stretcher when the patient was shocked," Reid said. "He was twitching the rest of the day."
Thirteen-year-old Steffy Niju, attended the camp with her sister Stella, both students at Kimbrough Middle School.
"We both want to become doctors someday,” Steffy Niju said. “It helps to learn all these things at such a young age. I think it'll be really helpful for college."
“We've always been interested in becoming doctors since both our grandparents are doctors," Stella Niju added.
Some of Ramirez's high school students assisted at the camp.
"When I broke my leg about two years ago, basically all the medicine they gave me got me curious," 16-year-old Tommy Holmes of North Mesquite High School said. "Just being in the hospital, it felt like something I'd want to do, to help people."
Holmes wants to study sports medicine and become an orthopedic surgeon. His work volunteering at Camp Medico, in addition to giving him valuable service hours for school, will help him prepare for his career.
"Anyone who's interested in this field is okay with me," Holmes said. "We need more people."
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