First in a series

A summer camp to help pick a career

(Editor's note: During the 2004-05 school year, Young Saint Louis.com will focus a number of stories to help area kids learn more about the economy, handling money and picking a future career. This story on health careers is the first in that series.)

Thirteen-year-old Brandon Karpel lives on a farm near Troy, Ill. and has been thinking of combining farming with being an inventor. But, after attending a summer camp, he's looking at other career options.

Brandon was one of about 30 kids who last month attended an Adventures in HealthCare camp, sponsored by BJC Health Systems. The camp was for sons and daughters of BJC employees to acquaint them on the varied career possibilities in health care.

The camp kids got a chance to see BJC health professionals at work in various health jobs. In one camp session, three new medical students told of their backgrounds and some of the things they were facing in med school.

The application form for the camp listed a number of alternative health careers. They included nursing, radiology, pharmacy, respiratory care and health information technology. It promised the kids "hands-on interactive activities" in those areas.

Before the camp, Brandon said he thought of health care careers only in terms of doctors, dentists and nurses.

The 8th grader at Triad Middle School in Troy said, "Now, I'm thinking of something that would link invention with the health industry." He liked the idea of working for a health services company that develops new machines and equipment.

Twelve-year-old Nina Magers is from St. Peters, Mo. She said she has been thinking of a career as an emergency room doctor. She said the week-long career camp has solidified her interest in that career choice.

"And, I found that, if I didn't like emergency room work when I get into it, there are plenty of other careers in the health field," the Jefferson Middle School student said.

Twelve-year-old Ryan Faulkner of Granite City, Ill., has a unique health career in mind. "I want to be a medical helicopter pilot," he said.

The 8th grader at Coolidge Middle School said, "I'd like going home every night and knowing I saved someone's loved one," he said.

He has his career path worked out. First he'll go into the military to learn helicopters.

"I figure it will take me about six years. First, I'll need three years in the Air Force. Then, I'd like to take some medical training in college before starting work as a medical pilot," he said.

Ryan said the BJC summer career camp helped him to firm his thinking about a career.

Thirteen-year-old Courtney Williams of High Ridge, Mo., has been thinking about being a doctor in children's medicine. "I'd like to work at Children's Hospital with kids who have burns or other injuries," she said.

She said the career camp gave her a chance to see how all types of health professionals work together in a major hospital. The 8th grader at Seckman Middle School said a hospital is "kind of like a whole community with everyone working for the patient."

She said she likes the idea of the teamwork that goes into helping people get better.

All of the kids attending the BJC summer career camp have at least one parent already working in health care. The camp was open to kids going into 7th or 8th grade in the fall.

Courtney Williams said she enjoyed the experience of going into the hospital's "ob-gyn" department. That's where babies are born.

She also liked to see how respiratory therapy is given to help people's breathing. "We even got to be on a respirator," she said.

Courtney said science is her favorite school subject. And, she said, "I'm looking forward to dissecting frogs in school this year," she said.

Nina Magers was another girl who likes science and also wants to dissect frogs. "That will be fun," she added.

She said one of the new health careers she enjoyed hearing more about was that of a cardiologist. That type of doctor helps people maintain the health of their hearts.

Nina said the ability to help people with their health would make a career in the health field a "good life."

Five BJC hospitals sponsoring the career camp were Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Christian Hospital and Missouri Baptist, in St. Louis; Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Peters, Mo., and the Parkland Health Center in Farmington and Bonne Terre, Mo.