Central New York AHEC Activities for Summer 2016

Every year Central New York AHEC holds summer programs and camps for students of all ages. Check out what is happening this summer!

Health Quest at Ithaca College July 11-15

High school students entering 10th, 11th and 12th grades get the chance to experience college dorm and campus living at this 5-day overnight camp at Ithaca College focused on allied health careers. Students will specifically learn about careers in physical therapy, speech language pathology, occupational therapy, and more! Health Quest chaperones and professionals will work with students to share their knowledge, skills, and advice in their studies and work in health care. Please click here to apply online or for more information.

MedQuest at SUNY Upstate Medical University June-July 2016

High school students, grades 10 through 12, and college freshman interested in pursuing careers in health care can apply to attend one of the Summer Camp Awareness Days. MedQuest is only available to New York State Residents. Unfortunately, the deadline has passed for this summer’s MedQuest; however, dates and topics are listed below.

June 28, 2016 – Nursing and Respiratory Care (9:00 am to 4:00 pm)

July 12, 2016 – Physician Assistant and Medicine (9:00 am to 4:00 pm)

July 13, 2016 – Biomedical Research, Medical Technology & Medical Biotechnology (9:00 am to 4:00 pm)

July 19, 2016 – Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy (9:00 am to 4:00 pm)

July 20, 2016 – Medical Imaging Sciences and Radiation Therapy (1:00 pm to 7:00 pm) – Will include X-ray, CT, MRI, Ultrasound and Radiation Therapy

For more information about SUNY Upstate Medical University’s MedQuest, please click here.

Medical Academy of Science and Health (M.A.S.H.) Camp June-August 2016

Students entering 8th and 9th grade this upcoming fall can participate in CNYAHECs summer M.A.S.H Camp programs. This two to three-day experience teaches students about careers in healthcare, exposes them to a variety of job opportunities, and their required on-the-job training or advanced college degrees needed for these careers. M.A.S.H. camps are designed to show students that there is a career for everyone in healthcare through workshops focusing on various topics specific to each healthcare facility. Workshops cover careers in physical therapy, nursing, surgery, food service, clinical laboratory sciences, cardiac care, speech language pathology, diagnostic imaging, recreational therapy, pharmacy, emergency medicine, and many more! This summer’s M.A.S.H. camps schedules are listed below. Find one near you and apply!

2016 Schedule

June 23 & 24…………..Auburn Community Hospital

June 28 & 29…………..Cayuga Medical Center

July 21 & 22…………….Lourdes Hospital

July 25 & 26……………Arnot Ogden Medical Center

July 27 & 28……………Cortland Regional Medical Center

August 3 & 4……………Oswego Hospital

August 3, 4 & 5………..Rome Memorial Hospital

August 17 & 18…………Community Memorial Hospital

For more information about M.A.S.H. camps or to apply, please click here.

MedLab Job Shadowing through Bassett Healthcare Network

High school and college students interested in pursuing careers in healthcare, particularly medical laboratory science, who enjoy solving puzzles, hands-on activities, and learning about new technological advances are encouraged to apply to MedLab Job Shadowing. CNYAHEC has partnered with Bassett Healthcare Network to give students the unique opportunity to spend a total of 15 hours shadowing professionals in medical laboratories. This program is flexible and can accommodate most students’ busy schedules. MedLab Job Shadowing offers ongoing open enrollment and job shadowing experiences in Cobleskill, Cooperstown, Delhi, Herkimer, Little Falls, Oneota, and Sidney.

To enroll, or for more information, please visit our MedLab Job Shadowing section of HWapps.

Healthcare opportunities are always available at MyHealthCareer.

For other opportunities offered through Central New York AHEC or more information about CNYAHEC, please visit their website.

Afton Student Explores Medical Laboratory at Tri-Town

Have you ever wondered what happens after you have a blood test or biopsy? One Afton student had the chance to find out by participating in a medical laboratory science job shadowing program offered through Bassett Healthcare Network and CNYAHEC. Amber Sypniefski, a sophomore, had the unique opportunity to spend fifteen hours at Tri-Town Regional Hospital, where she explored how the role of the laboratory impacts the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease.
“My favorite part of the experience was being able to see the difference between if a person has cancer and if they are healthy,” said Amber about her time at Tri-Town Regional Hospital. “I recommend the job shadowing program to others. It’s a great way to learn different things that most people may not know about in the laboratory. I enjoyed it all!”
 The medical laboratory science job shadowing program is an excellent way for students to learn about the exciting opportunities in this high-demand career,” said Rebecca Brooks-White, Laboratory Manager at Tri-Town Regional Hospital. “We encourage students who are interested in science, and love doing hands-on laboratory work, to apply for the program. Amber took advantage of the opportunity and was able to get an in-depth look at the blood collection process, how blood specimens are processed, and the microscope identification involved in certain types of medical tests.”
 In addition to gaining ‘real-life’ work experience in a local hospital, students also benefit from career counseling and guidance services that the program provides to those interested in pursuing medical laboratory science in college. The job outlook for careers in the medical laboratory is bright. According to the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, the medical laboratory scientist job outlook is expected to grow 16 percent from 2014 to 2024, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.
 The program accepts applications from high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors. If you, or your student, is interested in learning more about the program, please contact Laura Cichostepski, CNYAHEC’s Program Manager at (607) 756-1090 or info@cnyhec.org. Interested students may download an application by visiting CNYAHEC’s website.

Putting Science into Practice: Pursuing a Career in Clinical Laboratory Science

By Tim Williammee MT (ASCP), CLT – Bassett Healthcare Network

Do you dream of a career where you can put your interest of science into practice? Are you also interested in the medical field, but are not sure if you’d be comfortable in a direct patient care setting? Look no further than the exciting, fast-paced career of Clinical Laboratory Science!

Clinical Laboratory Scientists, who are sometimes referred to as medical technologists (MT’s) or clinical laboratory technologists (CLT’s), perform complex tests that analyze blood and body fluid specimens, which help provide diagnostic information for physicians. Their work often goes unseen and as a result many people are unaware of what the profession contributes to a person’s health. Nonetheless, 70% of all clinical decisions (including a patient’s diagnosis, treatment, hospital admission, and discharge) are based on laboratory tests performed by Clinical Laboratory Scientists.

To pursue this career one must have a Bachelor’s degree in Clinical Laboratory Science (Medical Technology) and become licensed to practice in New York State. CLT’s must be detail oriented and well adept at exercising critical thinking skills. People in this field generally have investigative interests, but also prefer realistic and conventional environments. They also thrive in behind-the-scenes work environments and are self-satisfied knowing what they’re doing is making a great difference in the lives of others. Likewise, their work values gravitate towards independence and achievement.

There are many reasons to pursue this career. Like many other medical careers, the job forecast for this profession is bright. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of Clinical Laboratory Scientists is expected to grow significantly over the next decade (by 14%), adding 65,800 new positions between 2012 and 2022. There are many drivers responsible for this growth. There were many years where few people went to college to study Clinical Laboratory Science. Simultaneously many CLT’s are retiring or planning to retire soon. Moreover, an increase in the volume of lab tests along with the development of new types of lab tests also drives the growth for the profession. Combined with the factors of a growing and aging population, the stage is set for Clinical Laboratory Science to grow significantly over the next decade.

In addition to the bright outlook, an excellent salary accompanies this profession. At Bassett Healthcare Network, entry level CLT’s can start at $19.52 an hour, or approximately $40,000 a year. Experienced CLT’s can make up to $29.77 an hour or approximately $62,000 a year. Incentives for pursuing this career, while organization specific, include: opportunities for growth and promotions, job security, signing bonuses, and tuition reimbursement.

Much like other healthcare professionals, CLT’s have the opportunity to specialize in different areas:

  • Clinical Microbiology is concerned with the identification, diagnosis, and treatment of microbes that can cause human disease, including bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses.
  • Clinical Hematology: involves analyzing diseases of the blood and body fluids
  • Clinical Chemistry: Includes the measurement of the chemical components of blood and body fluids, antibodies to infectious diseases therapeutic drug monitoring, and toxicology.
  • Transfusion and tissue services: involves the testing, preparation, and process of infusing or removing blood or blood components for therapeutic purposes and supplying tissues for surgical procedures.

Since this fast-paced profession is driven by technology and new scientific developments, CLT’s  must keep up-to-date in their field by continuously reading industry literature, attending seminars, and belonging to professional organizations like the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), American Society for Microbiology (ASM),  American Association for  Clinical Chemistry (AACC) or Clinical Laboratory Management Association (CLMA).

Interested in learning more? Get hands-on experience with job shadowing opportunities through the Bassett Healthcare Network. Contact John North at JNorth@CNYAHEC.org for details!