Wednesday, July 20, 2022
The Maine LEND program led two one-hour activity sessions focused on the work of health professionals who work with children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families at the Annual Health Careers Explorations Camp at the University of New England.
Since 2010, the Maine AHEC Network has been hosting a free annual Health Careers Explorations Camp for high school students from rural or underserved communities to participate in hands-on activities to learn about various careers in health care. In addition to the Maine LEND Program, Maine AHEC Network partners with local organizations such as the New Mainers Public Health Initiative and Maine Access Immigrant Network, as well as health professions programs at the University of New England to offer this program.
The long-term goal of this program is to increase the geographical distribution and diversity of the Maine healthcare workforce in an effort to create health equity. This camp is a three-day overnight camp, designed to replicate the college experience. Students stay in dorms on campus and participate in learning activities throughout the four days. This year, thirty students attended the summer camp and had the opportunity to learn about eleven different health professions. One student shared their feedback, saying “I learned about careers that I didn’t even know I would be interested in.”