University Discovery Days inspire high school students to take up health science careers

LONDON, ON, April 11, 2012 /CNW/ - For hundreds of high school students across Canada, the chance to hold a human brain in their hand may be the very thing that convinces them that a career in health sciences is exactly what they want. It was for Harveen Sidiura, 18, when she attended The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame's TD Discovery Days in Health Sciences anatomy workshop at the University of Waterloo last year.

"The anatomy lab was the biggest thing because I actually got to see inside [the body].  That really inspired me.  The best part was looking at the human brain," said Ms. Sidiura. "I got a chance to hold the whole human brain in my hand, that was really cool."

These workshops aren't the dull "frog dissection" labs of Grade 11 biology class. This hands‐on exploration used pre‐dissected cadavers to show students structure of the human body and how it functions.  It was just one of 15 workshops that the university hosted for students who were considering health sciences as a career path.

TD Discovery Days happen at universities across Canada and are designed to showcase the huge scope of careers in the health sciences field. Few students realize that Canada is a global leader in biomedical science, research and education until they attend one of these events. It is only then that they get a solid look at the impact that Canadians have in health sciences and how they can be part of it.

Currently Canada is facing a severe shortage of healthcare professionals. Enticing students into these professions is critical, says Janet Tufts, Executive Director of The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame. "When you put the whole day together - keynote lecture, two interactive workshops and a career panel - it adds up to a very influential experience with life-altering potential."

Read the full article on: The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame website

About TD Discovery Days in Health Sciences

The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame and TD Bank Group are exposing young people to the joys of a health-related career through TD Discovery Days in Health Sciences.  The program introduces talented high school students to world-class health clinicians and researchers - a recognized recruitment strategy to nurture more Canadian health professionals and scientists.

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