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Bringing in future doctors

WINONA, MN (KTTC-TV) -- Five dozen high school students are in Southeastern Minnesota, scrubbing up for the week. Health Force Minnesota is putting on its first-ever "Scrub Camp" at Winona State University this week to introduce students to a possible career option.

Scrubs aren't just for doctors and nurses this week; they're being donned by high school students wanting to learn about a career in health care.

"When even a very young student puts on scrubs and stands tall and walks into the cafeteria with other students here for other type of athletic camps and says this is what I'm about," said Health Force Minnesota Director Jane Foote.

Health Force Minnesota wants to excite students into going toward a medical career. What better way than to go hands-on.

"So that's where you get to learn how you get to observe different type of brain abnormality patterns," explained camp instructor Sandra Vacquez.

Students also filled out surveys, giving them insight into how healthy they really are. Later in the day, they'll get a chance to learn CPR and figure out what their blood type is by pricking their own fingers.

Foote said it's important to get these students interested early in the medical field.

"We have big problems with people aging, shortages in key industries like nursing and lab science. And trying to address that by engaging really young, energetic, technologically-savvy generation of kids to come take care of us."

Many of these students already know they want to have a medical career, but they're not sure how to get there.

"I'm concerned about making the right choice for the college I want to go to and being able to afford it and just being able to stay all the way through and not taking any breaks," responded Saint Paul Student Tyler Taylor.

Health Force Minnesota says the first discussion of the week is about how to choose the right college and how to pay for it. So with the right tools, the organization hopes it'll spot some future nurses and doctors in this group.

Jane Foote says the camp costs $350 dollars, but says Health Force Minnesota did not turn away any student who couldn't pay. The organization received about 28 scholarships from health employers around the state who help pay for the costs.