Alaska's AHEC: Healthcare Exploration in Nulato

by Jessica Degnan  |   

  • students dissecting pig heart
    Eager students dissect pig hearts at Andrew K. Demoski School on January 18, 2024. (Photo by Jessica Degnan/UAA Alaska Center for Rural Health & Health Workforce) 
  • student learns how to make and put on a splint
    A smiling student learns how to make and apply a splint at Andrew K. Demoski School on January 17, 2024. (Photo by Jessica Degnan/UAA Alaska Center for Rural Health & Health Workforce) 
  • students dissecting pig hearts with instructor Ian McCarthy
    Ian McCarthy, ACRH-HW K-12 Education Coordinator, dissects pig hearts with excited students at Andrew K. Demoski School on January 18, 2024. (Photo by Jessica Degnan/UAA Alaska Center for Rural Health & Health Workforce) 
  • students in Nulato learn how to make a sling
    Students learn how to make and apply a splint at Andrew K. Demoski School on January 17, 2024. (Photo by Jessica Degnan/UAA Alaska Center for Rural Health & Health Workforce) 
  • students dissecting pig hearts in Nulato
    Ian McCarthy, ACRH-HW K-12 Education Coordinator, dissects pig hearts with students at Andrew K. Demoski School on January 18, 2024. (Photo by Jessica Degnan/UAA Alaska Center for Rural Health & Health Workforce) 
  • ultraviolet light shining on students hands during a hand washing germ activity
    Ian McCarthy, ACRH-HW K-12 Education Coordinator, shines ultraviolet light on students' hands during a handwashing activity at Andrew K. Demoski School on January 16, 2024. (Photo by Jessica Degnan/UAA Alaska Center for Rural Health & Health Workforce)
  • students dissect pig heart
    Ian McCarthy, ACRH-HW K-12 Education Coordinator, dissects pig hearts with Nulato students at Andrew K. Demoski School on January 18, 2024. (Photo by Jessica Degnan/UAA Alaska Center for Rural Health & Health Workforce) 

Alaska鈥檚 Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) are dedicated to providing engaging curriculum and activities for students interested in healthcare. In mid-January, Ian McCarthy and Jessica Degnan from the Alaska Center for Rural Health and Health Workforce (ACRH-HW), Alaska AHEC鈥檚 Program Office, traveled to Nulato, Alaska, 200 miles northeast of Nome on the Yukon River, for a three-day Healthcare Exploration Camp. Middle and high school students participated in activities focusing on the cardiovascular system, blood pressure, and basic emergency first aid. Students particularly enjoyed dissecting pig hearts in small groups, often comparing the anatomical structure of these hearts to the moose hearts they see more frequently. One high school student felt very inspired after completing the three-day camp, stating, 鈥淚 am further inclined to increase my knowledge within the medical field, I see myself helping others and having a chance to save someone's life.鈥�

In addition, students had the opportunity to connect with current WWAMI medical students at UAA to learn about their 花季传媒s and ask any questions they might have. One WWAMI medical student, spoke passionately about her choice to study medicine, hoping to spark inspiration among the younger students, 鈥淚 believe healthcare is one of the best ways to connect with and help people,鈥� said Erica Stewart.  

Alaska鈥檚 AHEC is excited to continue providing healthcare exploration camps all over Alaska with the help of its partners. For more information about these programs, please visit ACRH-HW's website. 

 

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