Greenville Reporter

Nearly 100 high school students from central and eastern North Carolina attended the Future Health Professionals Conference on November 23, held at East Carolina University's Health Sciences Campus in Greenville. The event, hosted by ECU Health and the university, provided these students with hands-on experience and insights into health sciences education.

Chance Frederick, a senior from D.H. Conley High School in Greenville, was among the attendees. He participated in the conference for the second time and expressed his enthusiasm about the opportunities it offered. "I was really amazed the first time by everything they offered me, especially the hands-on experience in the dental clinic," he said.

The conference featured various activities, including medical professionals discussing their career paths and tours of nearby schools of medicine, dental medicine, and nursing. Students engaged in hands-on curriculum at training stations and simulations. Koai Martin from ECU Health emphasized the importance of engaging high school students early to address national health care shortages, particularly in rural areas like eastern North Carolina.

Martin highlighted that efforts such as this conference help create a pipeline of providers who understand rural health care challenges. "Ultimately, it’s about investing in the future of health care while uplifting the region our ECU Health and ECU medical school proudly serve," she said.

Dr. Calvin Blocker led demonstrations on life support techniques and discussed stroke symptoms with students through interactive experiences involving brain models. Milton Bond from ECU's Pathways to Health Careers Program noted that initiatives like this are vital for building a future health care workforce.

Dr. Scarlett Walston shared her personal journey into dentistry with students, encouraging them to explore different fields within health care. Jennifer Kovacs brought eight students from Dare County to highlight diverse career opportunities within health care beyond traditional roles like doctors and nurses.

Frederick expressed his determination to pursue a career in dentistry since his first dental appointment at age three. He hopes to achieve this goal at East Carolina University, saying he felt included during interactions with current dental students at the conference.