Carle and the University of Illinois partner in many ways, including those dedicated to enriching the lives of students as they consider their careers and their passions.
At the recent Applied Health Sciences open house, students learned about one of the many ways nurses, doctors, paramedics, respiratory therapists and more help patients in need.
Patty Hudek, U of I undergraduate recruiter, helped make the Discover Applied Health Sciences open house a reality. It aimed to help prospective and current students learn more about the college’s programs. Several majors – including Community Health, Kinesiology, and Speech and Hearing Sciences – offered various sessions to spotlight areas of their fields.
Event organizers also stationed Carle’s relatively new Pediatric Transport Vehicle outside Huff Hall. Paramedics and EMTs talked to students about their work helping children who need safe and quick transportation from one hospital to another to receive the care they need.
“These are not small adults. Children require specialized tools, medication doses and equipment to keep them safe,” said Lynn Ullestad, director, Critical Care Transport Program and Mobile Health Services.
The Pediatric Transport Team has a relatively simple, yet extremely important mission.
“The goal is to get sick kids from communities that don’t have resources to take care of them and bring them to Carle to get those kids better,” said Eric Johnson, RN, Pediatric Transport Team Member.
Hudek was excited to show the vehicle and its advanced life support capabilities to students.
“Many of our students who come into the College of Applied Health Sciences are looking for experiences to help build their foundation in healthcare, and having the opportunity to see such an equipped vehicle is a unique chance for prospective students and admitted students,” she said.
Hudek said Carle is instrumental in other ways for the students she serves. Last summer, 4-H Illini Summer Academy students visited Carle and had the opportunity to hear from interns.
“Opportunities like these allow us to get the word out about the amazing jobs in healthcare to students who may not even know that they can enroll in Applied Health Sciences majors and have a successful career in healthcare field,” Hudek said.
Hudek hopes opportunities like this, along with the Applied Health Sciences open house, help students realize what they want to do in life.
“Sometimes students who might be interested in helping others through healthcare just need to see and experience something in person to give them the nudge to take the next step,” she said.
Categories: Staying Healthy
Tags: Carle, healthcare, pediatrics, Illinois, student, University, careers, transport, vehicle