Teenagers today and potential physicians tomorrow will learn the tools of the trade and practice their clinical skills at the 20^th annual CampMed program at The University of Toledo.

The two-day CampMed program will be held Thursday, June 15 and Friday, June 16 on the UT Health Science Campus.

The 2017 class has 39 incoming freshman high school students from across northwest Ohio who will get a sampling of medical school participating in hands-on lessons such as learning to dress for the operating room and suturing wounds.

“It’s imperative to reach out to young people early to nurture their interests in science and discovery. Their dreams for the future, which for some might include becoming a doctor, are attainable and we want to show them there are people who want to help,” said Courtney K. Combs, director of the UT and Ohio Area Health Education Center (AHEC) programs.

“CampMed gives students the opportunity to learn first-hand what it’s like to be in the medical field before they even start high school. The participants really enjoy learning from current students in the UT College of Medicine and Life Sciences.”

CampMed is a scholarship program at no cost to the students, most of whom are first-generation college students and other underrepresented groups. The camp is sponsored by the UT AHEC program, which along with other programs throughout the country, strives to improve the health of individuals and communities by developing the healthcare workforce. First- and second-year UT medical students serve as camp counselors and the students also will interact with physicians and professors.

The students begin Thursday morning after the welcoming ceremonies with a Tools of the Trade session where they learn to use medical instruments such as blood pressure cuffs and stethoscopes. Lessons continue for two days with opportunities to tour a gross anatomy lab, make a cast and more.

** MEDIA OPPORTUNITY **

THURSDAY, JUNE 15

9:30 a.m. Tools of the Trade in Collier Building Room 1200

FRIDAY, JUNE 16

1 p.m. Suture Workshop in Health Education Building Room 103

CampMed, which began in 1998, is a competitive program that requires students to submit a letter of recommendation, a nomination from a science or math teacher or counselor and a personal essay to be chosen to participate.