By Shea Wright 

The emergency department is buzzing. Physicians and nurses triage patients. Laboratory professionals analyze blood samples while radiology technologists capture images that help make life-saving decisions.  

Each summer, those scenes become a living classroom for eighteen middle school students during the Career Scene Investigation (CSI) Camp at VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital (CMH) and twenty high school juniors and seniors over a two-week period, at the Summer Health Immersion Camp at VCU Health Tappahannock Hospital. 

These camps hope to inspire students to consider a career in healthcare. Statistics show 48% of students who participate in hands-on pipeline programs end up as healthcare professionals for vulnerable populations in rural and medically underserved communities.

Ashley Jones, a rising Williamsburg 12th grader, said the camp at VCU Health Tappahannock Hospital gave her an up-close look at patients from a different perspective.

“We got a chance to interact with real patients during our rotations,” Ashley said. “We checked in on patients and listened to their lungs and hearts. Then we got to observe a real consultation. That was an eye-opening experience because that was the first time I got to interact with a patient.”

As I went through all the rotations, my desire to become a doctor only got stronger... it was still a lot of fun and an amazing chance to learn about different career paths in healthcare.

Ashley Jones, Summer Immersion Camp at VCU Health Tappahannock Hospital

Like Ashley, each of these students and their families volunteer to trade their summer routines for an immersive educational experience. The two camps are an important part of VCU Health's long-term workforce development strategy. By helping K-12 students explore careers in healthcare, they are also strengthening the pipeline of students who choose healthcare careers in rural areas, like Southside Virginia and the Northern Neck. 

The camps connect local students with hospital workers, educational pathways, and career opportunities close to home. The collaborative effort reflects a shared commitment to develop the next generation of healthcare professionals and encourage students to consider careers that could one day bring them back to serve the communities where they grew up.

Career Scene Investigation (CSI) at VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital 

Since 2005, CMH’s CSI Camp has invited rising seventh and eighth grade students from Mecklenburg, Brunswick and Lunenburg counties to experience healthcare careers they may not otherwise encounter, firsthand. Some of the activities students participate in include taking x-rays, applying casts and splints and learning how to stitch a wound. 

Education manager Hazel Willis, BSN, RN, said middle school is an ideal time to encourage students to explore the healthcare field.

"As students begin selecting foundational courses for school, early exposure to careers like the ones we have at CMH helps them see the many different opportunities that can lead to jobs in medicine," Willis said. 

Summer of 2026 CSI Camp at VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital. (Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

For January Blacer, a rising eighth grader, the experience was personal. 

"I decided to sign up for CSI Camp because both of my parents are my inspiration and why I would like to work in healthcare," she said. "My dad, who is an IT specialist, shifted careers and enrolled in nursing school because he loves being around people. By seeing his experiences, I've developed a deeper interest in healthcare." 

By the end of the week, campers discover that healthcare extends far beyond the hospital walls. Some dream of becoming physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, and occupational therapists. Others find themselves drawn to engineering, computer technology, and even marine biology. 

"I actually want to pursue a career as a pediatrician," January said. "I want to apply the knowledge that I learned into real-life situations where I can make a positive impact on other people's lives." 

While CMH introduces middle school students to the world of healthcare, VCU Health Tappahannock Hospital’s summer program hopes to inspire high school students to take the next steps toward their future careers. 

South Hill campers donned protective equipment while learning about radiology and x-rays. (Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

Summer Immersion Camp at VCU Health Tappahannock Hospital 

Launched in 2024, the 3-day intensive program, held twice during the summer and once in the winter is designed to give high school juniors and seniors a deeper look at healthcare careers, educational pathways and real-world experiences that prepare them for life after graduation. Students learn basic life-saving measures and earn Stop The Bleed certifications.  As part of their summer programming, high school campers learn basic life-saving skills and how to take blood pressure readings. (VCU Health Tappahannock Hospital)

"The program is designed to help students gain a deeper understanding of the various career paths available to them here at Tappahannock Hospital," said Jessica Moncure, MSN, RN, a nursing professional development specialist at Tappahannock Hospital. "At the end of the week, students who participate in our camp feel empowered to identify and take the next step toward their next educational milestone, whether that's enrolling in dual enrollment courses, internships or other opportunities to jumpstart their healthcare career."  

For Rebecca Jones, signing her daughter Ashley up for the camp was a no-brainer. The soon-to-be high school senior already has her sights set on medical school.  

“The camp gave Ashley hands-on training and the chance to interact with patients, healthcare professionals and counselors. It was an invaluable experience,” Rebecca said. “I highly recommend this camp to any student interested in pursuing a medical career.” 

"I came into camp knowing that I want to become a doctor and considering a specialty in either radiology, neurology or cardiology,” Ashley added.  “As I went through all the rotations, my desire to become a doctor only got stronger, and my interest in the same three specialties remained the same. However, it was still a lot of fun and an amazing chance to learn about different career paths in healthcare.”

VCU Health’s unwavering dedication to rural healthcare and education 

The camps represent just one part of VCU Health's broader commitment to developing the future healthcare workforce in rural Virginia. Through partnerships with Virginia Area Health Education Centers (AHECs), the VCU Health Pathways Program, dual enrollment opportunities with local community colleges, job shadowing experiences and student externship programs, both CMH and Tappahannock Hospital are helping students explore healthcare careers at every stage of their educational journey.  

Together, these initiatives create multiple entry points for students to discover their interests and gain real-world experience before deciding what kind of educational or training programs to pursue after high school.  

Perhaps the greatest measure of the camps' success can already be found within the walls of CMH and Tappahannock Hospital. Former campers have returned to both hospitals as registered nurses, patient care technicians, radiologic technologists and occupational therapists — proof that a week of career exploration can inspire a lifelong commitment to caring for their own communities. 
 
"CSI Camp helped me see healthcare in a completely different way," said Kaitlyn Lynch, OTD, OTR/L, a CMH occupational therapist who attended CSI camp during middle school. "It introduced me to occupational therapy, and after shadowing at CMH during high school, I knew it was the career I wanted to pursue. Today, I am doing what I love right here back at home.” 

For a short time, students walked the same hallways as physicians, therapists, laboratory professionals and countless others who dedicate their careers to caring for patients. Years from now, some of them may return to those same hallways as colleagues, not just campers. 

High schoolers participate in a mock surgery as part of a camp organized by VCU Health Tappahannock Hospital. (VCU Health Tappahannock Hospital)

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