Suture knots and applying casts: Not your typical camp

Most summer camps don't give participants a chance to tie a suture knot, or apply a cast to fellow campers.

But the Northern Ontario School of Medicine's Health Sciences Summer Camp takes a unique approach camp, and lets students learn about the medical field in an interactive and fun learning environment.

The week-long summer camp celebrates its 10th anniversary this year – along with the medical school.

“I really believe in it, and the youth have such a great experience,” said Jenna Webber, a third-year medical student who volunteered to mentor the camp participants. “I love seeing the interest in the students and just being able to help ignite that passion for health care.”

The camp is open to students entering grades 10 and 11 in the fall, and gives participants a wide perspective on potential job opportunities in health care.

Thursday morning Dr. David Marsh, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine's associate dean of community engagement, gave students a 30-minute lecture on the skeletal system.

They learned a person's skeleton makes up around 20 per cent of their mass, and that an adult body has around 206 bones.

After the lecture, Marsh gave the students a brief demonstration on how to apply a cast on a person's arm. The students then got their hands dirty with wet plaster, and applied casts on each others' arms.

“I enjoy the enthusiasm and energy of the young people,” Marsh said. “They're all so excited about the opportunity to see what it's like in a medical school and start thinking about careers in health care.”

The camp accommodates 35 students at the Laurentian University campus, and 20 more at the Lakehead University campus in Thunder Bay.

Marsh said students come from across Northern Ontario – including some remote fly-in communities – to attend the summer camp.

“The science camp tries to specifically recruit people who have barriers getting into university,” he said. “We put a special focus on Aboriginal kids.”

This year's camp started July 6 with an introduction to basic suturing, and a crime scene investigation activity.

“A murder happened and they are provided with clues throughout the week to solve the murder,” said Véronique Poirier, co-ordinator of the Health Sciences Summer Camp. “At the end of the week they'll have suspects and they'll be able to determine who was the murderer.”

Medical students who volunteered to help with the camp make up the list of murder suspects.

On July 7 students did a number of clinical activities, and learned to measure blood pressure, glucose levels, and learned about the anatomy of the heart.

The next day they took part in cultural activities, to learn more about Northern Ontario's Aboriginal and Francophone populations.

Students in Thunder Bay visited the Fort William Historical Park, and the Sudbury group learned about Aboriginal culture at Cambrian College, and tried Voyageur activities in Bell Park.

On Thursday, July 9, they applied the casts, and are expected to learn about different medical professions, such as nursing and paramedic services.

On Friday, students will present what they have learned to their parents during a closing ceremony.

Mackenzie Straub, who starts Grade 10 at Sturgeon Falls' École secondaire catholique Franco-Cité in the fall, said she hopes to participate in the camp again next year.

“I loved my experience,” she said. “I would really recommend it to other people.”

Straub said she hopes to attend the Northern Ontario School of Medicine one day, and would like to be an oncologist.