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Moffitt, Hillsborough Education Foundation, team to promote STEM careers

 
High school students, including members of the Brain Expansion Scholastic Training program, recently got a chance to learn more about health-related professions at the Moffitt Cancer Center’s Vincent A. Stabile Research building.
High school students, including members of the Brain Expansion Scholastic Training program, recently got a chance to learn more about health-related professions at the Moffitt Cancer Center’s Vincent A. Stabile Research building.
Published July 30, 2015

Juliana Olodude is just 15, but she's already on the path to a career as a doctor.

This summer, Juliana is participating in the Brain Expansion Scholastic Training or B.E.S.T. program, a five-week academic camp that introduces students to different medical disciplines including physical therapy, radiology, medicine, dentistry and optometry.

Recently, Juliana and several other B.E.S.T. students got the chance to sample those careers up close as part of an initiative through the Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute's Healthy Kidz Program. The initiative specifically sought to expose high school students to STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) careers in the healthcare field.

Students spent the day listening to experts describe the day-to-day routines of their jobs including an oncology surgeon and a public relations specialist. They also toured the hospital's occupational therapy department and its research labs.

For Juliana, a sophomore at Middleton High School, the lectures, tours and one-on-one conversations with doctors and other medical professionals confirmed her interest in medicine.

"I think it's a great opportunity, seeing the different fields," she said.

In the coming months, more Hillsborough County students like Juliana will have the chance to explore STEM careers in health care thanks to growth in the partnership between Moffitt and the Hillsborough County Education Foundation.

For years, Moffitt has been a sponsor of the Foundation's annual Hillsborough Regional STEM Fair that features students from more than 190 public, private and virtual schools.

Earlier this year, discussions about ways to strengthen the Foundation's partnership with Moffitt led to both sides agreeing to establishing initiatives that are active year-round, said Merrill Dickey, the Foundation's director of development.

It's expected that the events and activities under the umbrella of the partnership will allow students to have greater access to Moffitt's experts and get an up-close view of its inner-workings, much like the B.E.S.T. students' field trip.

Moffitt, in turn, will be able to directly connect with students who hold an interest in healthcare–related careers or working in a hospital setting, Dickey said.

Dickey said with STEM-related jobs becoming critical to the local economy, it's important that the powerhouse businesses don't have to look far for talent.

"It's about planting the seeds," he said. "It's different to recruit someone from Los Angeles versus someone who's homegrown."

Moffitt Healthy Kidz program director Nikki Ross-Inda said the biggest winners are the students, who'll get the chance to meet the people who have the jobs they aspire to and see.

"Providing awareness (to students) about the many different careers in a hospital setting is important," she said. "For example, introducing the human resources director to them helps them understand the interview process.

"They'll be more prepared than a student who is not familiar with HR and what they do."

Contact Kenya Woodard at hillsnews@tampabay.com.