UofC and UofA Discovery Days reveal the many careers in health sciences

LONDON, ON, Oct. 2, 2012 /CNW/ - The question "what do you want to do for a living" may be answered for a few hundred high school students next month after they get an up close and personal look at the many career options in Canada's health sciences field. Grade 10 and 11 students will be attending a daylong TD Discovery Day in Health Sciences at either the University of Alberta or the University of Calgary that will highlight the depth and breadth of careers in this innovative and growing sector.

These Alberta students will each take part in two interactive workshops, a career panel discussion and a keynote lecture that will give them the inside track on how interconnected the health sciences field is when it comes to teamwork and roles.

Ally Robinson, 17, attended Discovery Day at the University of Calgary last year while she was a Grade 11 student at Ernest Manning High School. "I don't like missing school, [but] this was a good day," recalls Robinson. The insight she gained from the various workshops and talking to both experienced and new healthcare professionals helped to clarify some of the thoughts she had behind a health science career. She's eager to promote the event to other students at her high school, knowing that it will be an eye-opener for many young people. "It was an incredible learning experience!" said Robinson.

The TD Discovery Days in Health Sciences program happens at universities across Canada and are designed to showcase the vast 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 this event.

Year after year, life-altering decisions are made at Discovery Days, says Janet Tufts, Executive Director of The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame. "Students arrive not realizing that there are interesting ways they can combine their passion for helping people and their love of math through a field such as biomedical engineering. This becomes particularly evident during our 'Health Pros Tell All' career panels where students get a chance to ask their burning questions."

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/high-school-students-experience-life-health-sciences-uofc-and-uofa-discovery-days

SOURCE: Canadian Medical Hall of Fame

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