Luring teenagers into university laboratories

OTTAWA, Oct. 23, 2012 /CNW/ - Working in a medical or science research lab may seem like a far-off dream when you are a 17-year-old high school student, but within two or three years and some legwork, you could be part of a leading lab doing important work that will advance medical science, says Dr. Robert Rose, Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Dalhousie University.

This inspiring message is part of the university's TD Discovery Day in Health Sciences presented on November 1, 2012. The event will expose students from Grades 10 through 12 to the realities of modern health science careers. Often students who are contemplating a career in medicine or health science envision years of being stuck in post secondary education classrooms before they ever see the inside of a real science lab, says Dr. Rose. "But there are plenty of opportunities to volunteer in labs after your first year," says Dr. Rose, whose own lab researches heart arrhythmias using a range of electrophysiological and molecular techniques. Second year students who show promise can also be financially supported to work in labs during the summer months," he says. "Options and opportunities always exist for motivated students."

TD Discovery Days in Health Sciences are unique daylong events delivered at universities across the country by The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame. Students who attend are eager to hear the stories of life in a lab such as Dr. Rose's. The Discovery Days program showcases the huge scope of careers in the Canadian health sciences field.

"More than just doctors and nurses are needed," says Janet Tufts, Executive Director of The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame. "Modern health care requires a broad range of team members that need to come together at many different points along the continuum. Enticing students into these professions is critical."

Since The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame launched this innovative education program in 1997, more than 20,000 students and teachers from across Canada have benefited from these interactive learning days.

Full article available at: http://www.cdnmedhall.org/laboratory-research-lures-high-school-students-university-discovery-days

SOURCE: The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame

Janet Tufts
The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame
519-661-7785 / [email protected]