Health Career Camp Opens Eyes to the World of Medicine at Sisseton Middle School
Virtual reality goggles aren’t just for gaming — they’re helping students imagine their futures.
Sisseton Middle School eighth graders, joined by students from neighboring schools, recently took part in a Health Career Camp held in the school’s practice facility. The camp, which is sponsored by IHS, CDP, SWO, and SWC, gave students a hands-on look into the wide range of professions in healthcare.
Throughout the day, students rotated through a series of interactive stations, each focused on a different medical career. They performed mock tasks such as cleaning and extracting teeth as well as creating fillings, giving them a glimpse into the work of dental professionals. At another station, students practiced CPR and chest compressions and even tried intubation, learning critical life-saving techniques.
In the trauma care section, students learned to apply a tourniquet to stop bleeding — a skill that can make all the difference in an emergency. They also explored telehealth technology, using magnifying cameras to examine skin and identify moles, much like dermatologists do during virtual consultations.
The lab science station drew plenty of interest as students learned about blood draws and practiced testing blood samples to detect signs of disease. And thanks to virtual reality goggles, students could step into a fully immersive hospital setting, experiencing what it might be like to work alongside real doctors and nurses.
By the end of the camp, students walked away with more than just new skills — they gained inspiration and a better understanding of the many opportunities available in healthcare.
The Health Career Camp was an exciting and eye-opening experience that showed students that the tools of the future — including VR — can help shape the healthcare heroes of tomorrow.