Students Complete Summer Health Care Camp

Twenty students recently completed Edison State Community College’s Health Care Pathways Summer Camp at its Troy location. Sponsored by Edison State’s Office of Workforce Development and Work-Based Learning and the Ohio Department of Higher Education, the camp aimed to help participants launch their careers in health care.

“We could not be prouder of the dedication and achievement these students demonstrated during the first-ever Health Care Pathways Summer Camp,” said Brandi Olberding, Edison State Assistant Dean of Workforce Development & Work-Based Learning. “Not only did we achieve a 100% completion and success rate, but these students are now better prepared to enter the workforce, having already gained valuable hands-on experience.”

“This program taught me skills I will need in my career, along with being passionate and sincere,” student Abner De Leon said. “It has taught me not only to provide the best physical care, but also the best mental care for my future patients.”

Graduates of the camp earned their Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) credential while gaining hands-on experience through a two-day clinical rotation. They also earned credit for Edison State’s Introduction to Health Care course, a $250 completion stipend, two sets of scrubs, shoes, and a stethoscope. The camp introduced students to many health care career fields with visits from Jill Bobb, Dean of Health Sciences at Edison State, and Mikaa Veal, Academic Partnership Manager at Premier Health.

“Overall, the class was great. The skills I learned are going to help me with bedside manner, being more confident, and recognizing issues in my future job,” said student Emma Largent. “This course showed me all the many choices of study in nursing and the medical field. I learned from the instructors, guest speakers, and employees at the clinical sites.”

Skills covered during the camp included personal care assistance, resident safety and infection control, basic medical terminology, and obtaining vital signs. Students completed their clinical education days through Edison State’s educational partners, Piqua Manor and VanCrest of Troy.

Student Khalia Lawrence said, “I think clinicals were my favorite part of this class. It allowed me to create relationships with residents and just be there for them to talk to when they had no one else. I loved the fact that I was providing basic care and was able to make residents happy.”

Another student, Kaitlyn McElroy, added, “I know this will be very useful as I step toward my future career as a physician assistant. I am so grateful and excited to become certified as a CNA, for all the information I have learned, and for the friends I have made through this camp!”

Edison State is proud to recognize the following students for completing the Health Care Pathways Summer Camp: