CONTACT: Mary Margaret Colliver, (859) 257-4824
FOR RELEASE
UK OFFERS HEALTH RESEARCHERS YOUTH ACADEMY OPPORTUNITY
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 2, 2007) – Attention rising junior and senior high school students: are you interested in health careers? Would you like to spend part of the summer at the University of Kentucky? If so, the UK Area Health Education Center’s (AHEC) Health Careers Program has just the right program for you.
AHEC is taking applications for its two-week Health Researchers Youth Academy that will be held at UK July 8 through July 20. The program will give high school juniors and seniors exposure to research careers while learning about research methodology, areas of research and basic science concepts. Students can also gain a connection to life-long friends from across Kentucky.
The UK Area Health Education Center has received $300,000 in state funding for the biennium for the AHEC health careers program.
The purpose of the program is to increase the number of disadvantaged and under-represented students who successfully pursue educational programs and careers in the health professions.
The goal is to develop a longitudinal health careers pipeline beginning in elementary school and continuing through professional school admission. The pipeline will maintain a strong emphasis on science and math throughout the curriculum, as well as provide information to students regarding various health professions. The Health Researchers Youth Academy is part of the pipeline initiative.
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UK Health Researchers Youth Academy 2 – 2 – 2
There is no cost for students to enroll and attend the camp. Housing and meals are provided.
The program targets 64 counties in Central and Eastern Kentucky including: Boone, Gallatin, Kenton, Campbell, Owen, Grant, Pendleton, Harrison, Franklin, Scott, Bourbon, Woodford, Anderson, Jessamine, Fayette, Rowan, Carter, Elliott, Morgan,
Bath, Montgomery, Powell, Menifee, Nicholas, Robertson, Bracken, Mason, Lewis,
Greenup, Boyd, Lawrence, Fleming, Wolfe, Clark, Lee, Breathitt, Owsley, Clay, Perry, Leslie, Harlan, Bell, Letcher, Knott, Magoffin, Floyd, Johnson, Martin, Pike, Madison, Mercer, Garrard, Rockcastle, Estill, Jackson, Laurel, Knox, Whitley, McCreary, Pulaski, Casey, Lincoln, Wayne and Boyle.
“We encourage students who are interested in any of the health professions such as medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and the health sciences to call us about participating in a sneak preview,” said Tony Hartsfield, assistant project director, AHEC Health Careers Program at UK. “You can’t imagine how rewarding this camp is for the participating students.“
Applications for the Health Researchers Youth Academy are due April 2. For more information contact Tony Hartsfield, at (859) 323-8018 or .
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In striving to become a Top 20 public research institution, the University of Kentucky is a catalyst for a new Commonwealth – a Kentucky that is healthier, better educated, and positioned to compete in a global and changing economy. For more information about UK’s efforts to become a Top 20 university, please go to http://www.uky.edu/OPBPA/Top20.html.
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