More than two dozen high school students from Florida and Georgia recently completed the four-week Health Career Opportunity Program (HCOP) hosted by the Florida A&M University (FAMU) School of Allied Health
The goal of HCOP is to educate the 30 participating students about medical careers such as nursing, anesthesiology, physical and occupational therapy, surgery, medical malpractice law and more.
“I left the program with more than what I started with,” said Nya Herbert, a 2019 HCOP participant who attends Alexander High School in Atlanta.
The program was originally intended for college students; however in 2000, it was opened to high school students interested in the medical field. Five days a week, students participated in a program of lectures, simulations and hands-on learning. At the end of the month-long program, students made capstone presentations to parents, faculty and staff showcasing what they learned.
“HCOP provides students with a better understanding about health professions and helps them make informed decisions about their career goals and their future,” said Patricia Graham, HCOP director and a coordinator in the School of Allied Health Sciences at FAMU.
HCOP costs $500 per student. This year some participants received partial scholarships thanks to a $2,500 grant to the School of Allied Health Sciences from the Florida Partnership, College Access and Readiness Experience for Success (CARES) program. HCOP also receives donations from alumni and other supporters.
To donate to HCOP, visit: https://my.famu.edu/sslpage.aspx?pid=600.
Participants Praise HCOP
Nya Herbert, 16, Alexander High School, Atlanta
Question: What do you want to be when you grow up?
Answer: “I want to either be an anesthesiologist, pharmacist, or a nurse anesthesiologist.”
Question: What do you like most about this program?
Answer: “What I like most about the program is that it’s a hands-on learning experience and learning about the different medical careers that I had no idea about was really interesting.”
Question: What have you learned from this program?
Answer: “I learned about anatomy, algebra ( 11th grade math ), and different medical careers.”
Question: How did you find out about this program?
Answer: “I found out about this program because my mom gets these emails from FAMU and she asked me if I wanted to join it this summer.”
Senanu Simpson, 15, Florida High School, Talllahassee
Question: What do you want to be when you grow up?
Answer: “I am not completely sure whether I want to be a type of physician but as of now i’m planning to be an anesthesiologist, cardiologist, or radiologist.”
Question: What do you like most about this summer program?
Answer: “The amount of knowledge that I’m exposed to and the fact that I can get ahead in my class because I already know the stuff that will be taught in the class.”
Question: What have you learned in the program so far?
Answer: “I’ve learned different planes in anatomy, like transversal. I also learned directional terms and medical terms.”
Chanel Bernard, 15, Chiles High School, Tallahassee
Question: What do you want to be when you grow?
Answer: “Well, I want to be a surgeon, either pediatric or cardiatric.”
Question: What do you like most about this program so far?
Answer: “I like because it opens me up to so many careers I didn’t know about and I have always been interested in the medical field, but I’ve never had information on it.”
Question: What type of things have you learned from this program?
Answer: “I’ve learned a lot about myself, like my strengths and weaknesses, because I found out that I really like chemistry and I haven’t even taken it yet.”
Question: How did you find about the program?
Answer: “My dad. He said, ‘You want to be a surgeon right?’ and so I applied last year, but there were no more spots available and so I applied this year.”
Hannah Kirkland, 16, Florida High School, Tallahassee
Question: What majors are you considering to study in college and why?
Answer: “Occupational therapy or a cardiothoracic surgeon because of my family’s history of heart problems and my volunteerism with occupational therapeutic kids.”
Question: Why did you choose this program and how has it impacted you?
Answer: “It seemed pretty interesting and this program allows me to get experience other teens my age wouldn’t have access to.”
Question: Where do you see yourself in the next five years and how will this program be the stepping-stone for your future plans?
Answer: “I see myself at FAMU studying in one of their medical programs.”
Editors note: Reported by Lilayia President and T’Erica James,
Tallahassee Future Leaders Academy Interns
