UConn Health

March 28, 2014 | Chris DeFrancesco '94 (CLAS)

Any Future Doctors, Dentists, Nurses?

Nearly 400 high school students, many considering careers in health care, spent part of Friday at UConn Health’s 10th Clinical Career Day.

First-year UConn medical student Alexis Thompson speaks to visiting high school students about gross anatomy at UConn Health's Clinical Career Day on March 28, 2014. The students, from left, are Oliwia Szok (New Britain High School), Hannah McKee (Sports and Medical Sciences Magnet School, Hartford), Samantha Larkin and Taylor Smith (New Britain High School), and Kathryn Mason and Rachell Maldonado (CREC Medical Professions and Teacher Preparation Academy, Windsor). (Chris DeFrancesco/UConn Health Photo)

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First-year UConn medical student Alexis Thompson speaks to visiting high school students about gross anatomy at UConn Health’s Clinical Career Day on March 28, 2014. The students, from left, are Oliwia Szok (New Britain High School), Hannah McKee (Sports and Medical Sciences Magnet School, Hartford), Samantha Larkin and Taylor Smith (New Britain High School), and Kathryn Mason and Rachell Maldonado (CREC Medical Professions and Teacher Preparation Academy, Windsor). (Chris DeFrancesco/UConn Health Photo)

Nearly 400 high school students, many considering careers in health care, spent part of Friday at UConn Health’s 10th Clinical Career Day.

The annual program draws students from throughout the state and some from Massachusetts—this year, 31 schools in all—to meet professionals in medicine, dental medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and other health care fields such as social work, paramedics, and laboratory medicine.

The cafeteria temporarily served as a career fair. When the students were done visiting the booths, they broke into smaller groups and headed to classrooms. Open heart surgery, gross anatomy, internal medicine, physical therapy and diagnostic imaging were just some of the topics offered.

Clinical Career Day is organized by the Connecticut Area Health Education Center Program, the UConn School of Medicine’s Health Career Opportunity Programs, and UConn Health’s Department of Human Resources.

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Newington High School senior Mariah Mendes tries on the firefighter gear, with assistance from UConn Health firefighter paramedic Eric Colantonio and firefighter EMT Leslie Prior. Mariah says she’s going to the University of Rhode Island next year to study nursing. (Chris DeFrancesco/UConn Health Photo)
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UConn medical students Amy Blodgett and Alexander Werne explain the UConn School of Medicine’s Urban Health Scholars program to students from Bloomfield’s Metropolitan Learning Center. The students, from left, are Victoria Peluso, Jada White, Troy Mitchell and Samuel Dweh, all juniors. (Chris DeFrancesco/UConn Health Photo)
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Liam Curran, a freshman at Lewis Mills High School in Burlington, gets some pointers on chest compressions from UConn Health firefighter paramedic Thomas Paranzino. Liam says he’s interested in becoming a paramedic or EMT, and is a volunteer firfefighter in Harwinton. (Chris DeFrancesco/UConn Health Photo)
Ellington High School juniors Allison Letizia (right) and Kelsey Sgarlata meet with physical therapist Karen Wojcik at UConn Health's Clinical Career Day on March 28, 2014. Kelsey says she's interested in getting into pediatric physical therapy, while Allison says she has a number of potential career interests in health care. (Chris DeFrancesco/UConn Health Photo)
Ellington High School juniors Allison Letizia (right) and Kelsey Sgarlata meet with UConn Health physical therapist Karen Wojcik. Kelsey says she’s interested in getting into pediatric physical therapy, while Allison says she has a number of potential career interests in health care. (Chris DeFrancesco/UConn Health Photo)

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