Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC) will host high school students from the Blue Springs (Mo.) School District for a summer science seminar, June 26-30. “CUKC Anatomy and Physiology Camp” delivers subject matter that appeals to those considering a career in the health sciences. The annual event runs from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day, and offers the students an opportunity to experience education at the next level.
Initiated in 2018, the camp was developed as an immersive, problem-based, learning project for students who are seeking healthcare-focused professions. As CUKC offers degrees in chiropractic and the health sciences, it makes the camp an ideal place for students to explore healthcare careers beyond the traditional paths of a medical doctor or a nurse.
The camp focuses on a project that requires attendees to explore their knowledge of human biology principles from areas of anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry to determine how they apply to the care of a mock patient. Students are led by CUKC faculty as they explore healthcare in a more clinical setting, much different from their district facilities.
Over the course of the week, CUKC faculty members will help the students explore how the various disciplines offered at CUKC could play a part in the care of the patient in this exercise, and what role each serves in the overall healthcare landscape. This will include radiologic technology, occupational therapy, and exercise science, as well as an introduction to the technique simulation lab used by the University’s chiropractic students.
In addition, there will be a focus on microbiology, the Hippocratic tradition in medicine, the anatomy lab, along with physics and functional electrical stimulation in the context of treatment of those with spinal cord injuries. All of these will be explored to show how they apply in the case of the mock patient and into other areas of care.
John McGlaughlin is a professor of physics and math at CUKC, and serves as one of the instructors for the camp.
“The students benefit by getting exposure to a college campus and all that we have to offer here,” McLaughlin said. “These students get to be around not just their peers for a week, but undergraduate and graduate students who are focused on and excited about academics, specifically the health sciences. This is valuable information to them as they are beginning to determine a career choice, possibly in the health sciences.”
McGlaughlin said that CUKC has received “very positive feedback” from the Blue Springs School District regarding the camp, and said the equipment and technology available to the students is what makes the week such a special event.
The University filled all available seats for the 2023 program.
