Park City teens explore careers in medicine and fire service through PCCAPS

One of Park City's Fire Stations where High Schoolers can learn about the industry. Photo: TownLift // Michele Roepke

PARK CITY, Utah — Students in the 11th and 12th grades at the Park City High School have opportunities to experience what their fellow community members at the Intermountain Park City Hospital and the Park City Fire District do daily.

The Park City Center for Advanced Professional Studies (PCCAPS) educates students toward readiness for career success in many industries, including medical, fire, and physical therapy. In doing so, a win-win-win study structure partnership is created.

The course is designed for those interested in professions in sports medicine such as athletic training, physical therapy, orthopedics and sports performance. Guided by Park City High School’s team of certified athletic trainers, students demonstrate various skills relative to emergency care, evaluation and treatment; musculoskeletal systems; taping and wrapping skills; care and prevention; and strength training and nutrition. Students work on projects for real sports medicine professionals (clients) intended to enhance the field of sports medicine or the PCHS athlete experience.

Previous clients include: Intermountain Park City Hospital, The Kutcher Clinic, Power To Shred, U.S. Ski & Snowboard, Heiden Orthopedics and others.

Students earn certifications in CPR/AED and First Aid for adults, children, and infants. They are provided with several field trip opportunities, including the Utah Valley University Cadaver Lab, health career fairs that may be taking place during the semester, and the University of Utah Orthopedic Center. Students also receive a backstage pass to Intermountain Park City Hospital professionals through Intermountain’s intern training program.

The Healthcare Career Academy is a collaborative initiative with Intermountain Health Park City High School, funded by a generous community donation. It uses a Stanford University curriculum to educate high school students about public health, the drivers of health, and how they can advocate for healthier conditions in their communities.

The Healthcare Career Academy benefits the students and Intermountain Health Park City Hospital.

“By helping students become more aware of various careers offered in healthcare at their local community hospital, they can become prospective healthcare professionals that can help us build a pipeline of people that want to return to work in the communities where they grew up. This helps build a stronger, healthier future for the Wasatch Back and beyond,” Lori Weston, CEO of Intermountain Health Park City Hospital, told TownLift.

“Hospital employees involved in the academy get a chance to mentor students, which can be very rewarding,” she added.

Students participating in the academy can, among other life lessons,

• Connect one-on-one with local health or hospital leaders to learn what they do in their jobs and careers and how they got there.
• Learn to recognize health concerns in the local community
• Engage in hands-on learning with University of Utah medical students. For example, students learned how to maintain a healthy weight and how much sugar is in various foods or beverages.
• Learn how to create awareness about healthy behaviors, health screenings, and checkups by writing public service announcements that could be shared through the media.
• Intermountain Health Park City Hospital also partners with Park City High School through PCCAPS and offers a hospital internship for a senior at Park City High School.

“So often, the community only thinks of the clinical things that happen in a hospital. These students leave with a much better understanding of everything that happens on a daily basis to make the hospital operate,” said Weston.

Once at the hospital, students are shown all types of careers in clinical and non-clinical areas such as pharmacy, physical therapy, emergency department, marketing, human resources, etc.

“We show them different ways to get into healthcare, what entry-level jobs there are, and explain the work and education pathways to further their career,” said Weston.

Another exciting option for students in this program is to spend two days at a Park City Fire District station. If it’s a busy day with incoming calls for service, the student can accompany the team in their emergency vehicles to serve the community out in the field, shadowing the professionals.

If it’s a day on which the fire station employees are simply taking care of the daily tasks involved with maintaining a state of readiness, then students’ observance of it is equally important if they’re thinking about pursuing a career in the fire sciences and services.

“Getting local high school students involved with the Park City Fire District is a great opportunity for both the students and the staff,” Russell Buhecker, Park City Fire District FF/AEMT, told TownLift. “New firefighters and EMTs gain valuable experience by teaching and mentoring, which builds their confidence and sharpens their skills. The hands-on interaction helps reinforce critical protocols for the staff while showing students that lifelong learning is essential in this line of work. It also gives students a firsthand look at how their community responds to emergencies and what being a firefighter really involves.

Near the culmination of the classes, students present a health improvement project for the community. For example, two of the top presentations this year were:

1. How could Parkites best educate out-of-state rental car customers as to the most efficient and effective ways of safe driving procedures and practices during instances of inclement weather? Perhaps an app.
2. How could Parkites incentivize skiers and snowboarders to put down the foot rest bars on chairlifts, an action proven to increase health and safety benefits? Possibly a QR code on the lowered bar gifting a free lodge hot chocolate.

Food for thought.