Future Healthcare Professionals Explore Careers at Health Careers Institute

Midwestern University's 2026 Health Careers Institute (HCI) brought 30 high school students from across the Chicagoland area to the Downers Grove Campus for five days of immersive healthcare career exploration. From practicing suturing and CPR to exploring dentistry, optometry, pharmacy, and ultrasound, participants experienced healthcare education through interactive laboratories led by Midwestern University faculty and student mentors.

Each mentor was paired with two students throughout the week, offering guidance during activities, answering questions about college and healthcare careers, and helping participants experience campus life from a student's perspective. For the mentors, the program also strengthened teaching, communication, and interprofessional collaboration skills.

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Throughout the week, participants stepped into Midwestern University's laboratories and simulation spaces to explore osteopathic medicine, dentistry, optometry, pharmacy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, biomedical sciences, clinical psychology, precision medicine, public health, and other healthcare fields.

Simulation-based activities allowed students to practice taking vital signs, suturing, performing CPR, inserting simulated IVs, using ultrasound, intubating medical manikins, and working through patient scenarios. They also visited the anatomy laboratory and learned how healthcare professionals collaborate to diagnose and care for patients.

For Daniel Ebied, a recent graduate of Marquette Manor Baptist Academy, the variety of experiences made the biggest impression.

"I really liked seeing all the different specialties in healthcare, not just doctors or nurses, but physical therapy, occupational therapy, psychology, and all that," Daniel said. "It's not just a bunch of lectures. You get a sneak peek at each career through fun, interactive labs."

Arianna Montana of Downers Grove South High School came to HCI interested in nursing and especially enjoyed practicing vital signs and intubation. The experience also introduced her to areas she had not previously considered.

"I definitely still want to go into nursing, but I really liked exploring dentistry, too," Arianna said. "The mentors were all super welcoming and gave us a lot of information about the different medical fields."

Midwestern student mentors helped lead sessions on suturing, basic life support, dentistry, healthcare ethics, triage, and a medical mystery escape room, sharing both clinical knowledge and their own educational experiences.

Medical student Sydney Katz (CCOM '29) helped create Diagnosis Detectives, an escape-room-style activity that placed students in the role of an interdisciplinary healthcare team. Working through puzzles and clinical clues, participants collaborated to solve a patient case.

"Doctors are like detectives, so it was cool for the students to see that play out in a fun, engaging way," Sydney said.

She also assisted with intubation and ultrasound activities, and said mentoring reinforced an important lesson for her own future career.

"Physicians are teachers," she said. "Our job is to understand what is going on with someone and teach them about it. I want to start early and strengthen my ability to teach the next generation, because that is something I'll be doing throughout my career."

Alan Hardwick (CDMI '29) introduced participants to dentistry through a simulated filling exercise while gaining a broader appreciation for the University's other healthcare programs.

"I learned so much this week," Alan said. "Dentistry is such a specific part of healthcare, and being able to see what the other programs are doing was fascinating."

He said explaining dental concepts to high school students also helped him practice one of the profession's most important skills.

"When you're teaching high school students, you have to explain things in basic terms, and then, if they're interested, they ask questions and follow-ups," he said. "Being able to educate people is incredibly important."

Sydney found herself inspired by the curiosity of the high school participants."These students are so smart," she said. "They reminded me to keep an open mind and hold on to that eagerness and curiosity, no matter where I am in my own medical education."

Beyond the clinical activities, the relationships built throughout the week helped personalize the experience. Working closely with student mentors gave participants opportunities to ask candid questions about college, healthcare education, and career paths. A student panel representing additional healthcare professions also enabled participants to ask a wide range of questions.

Amaya Wilkins of Glenbrook South High School said the mentors' different backgrounds and areas of study enriched every activity.

"All the mentors were really welcoming," Amaya said. "I learned something from each of them, especially through their different specialties and experiences."

Already interested in nursing, Amaya said the week's experiences strengthened her enthusiasm for the profession while introducing her to new possibilities."I would recommend the program to anyone interested in healthcare," she said. "Keep an open mind, and if you find something you're really passionate about, go with it."