Midwestern University’s Health Careers Institute for High School Students Exposes Students to Careers in Optometry
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Midwestern University’s Health Careers Institute for High School Students Exposes Students to Careers in Optometry
From July 15–23, Midwestern University hosted its annual Health Careers Institute for High School Students, a week-long program aimed at exposing high schoolers to the possibilities of a career in healthcare. This year, 57 high school students from all around Arizona and beyond participated in various healthcare related workshops, all of which offered hands-on activities to provide them an in-depth look at the career. One such career was optometry.
With the guidance of Midwestern University faculty (Pierce Kenworthy, OD, FAAO, Associate Professor; Christina Esposito, OD, FAAO, FCOVD, Associate Professor; Kelly Varney, OD, FAAO, Associate Professor; Kevin Helmuth, OD, FAAO, Associate Professor/Clinical Director, Arizona College of Optometry), the high school students received a tour of the optometry lab, got to examine their friends’ eyes using the lab equipment, participated in vision rehabilitation exercises, and completed interactive virtual reality lab exercises. Additionally, students learned more about the career as a whole and its importance in the healthcare industry.
By the end of the program, many students declared that the optometry workshop was their favorite. Through generous funding from the BHHS Legacy Foundation, Midwestern University plans to continue providing high schoolers with the opportunity to learn more about optometry as a career and connect with caring faculty and students.
