OSU summer camp gets teens 'excited about medicine'

Sara Serrano, Tahlequah Daily Press, Okla.
·2 min read

Jun. 2—The Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences brought its Operation Orange summer camp to Tahlequah on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.

Held at the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine at the Cherokee Nation, this free, one-day camp was open to students in seventh to 12th grade, with middle schoolers eligible to attend on May 31 and high schoolers for the next day.

Director of Alumni and Outreach for OSUCHS Bria Taylor describes Operation Orange as a "traveling medical school camp," with outreach especially for rural areas. The camp features five different stations where they can meet OSU medical students and learn different medical procedures, including simulating intubation and practicing chest compressions on mannequins.

Taylor noted that 100 students registered for the Wednesday event.

Dr. Natasha N. Bray, interim dean of the OSU Cherokee Nation Campus, shared the purpose of the program.

"It's about exposure and getting them excited about medicine," said Bray. "They can be from the smallest town in Oklahoma and still become successful."

To amplify that excitement, Operation Orange injected some competition into the day. At the CPR station, students worked in teams to complete chest compressions better than the rest of their group. Their progress was marked on television screens overhead, with each group racing to receive the top score.

Juan del Rosario, a first year medical student, assisted the high schoolers with their chest compressions.

'The worst part is getting the beat down," said del Rosario.

To aid the teams in keeping tempo, the song "Stayin' Alive" was played during simulations, a song often used for CPR practice because it has the correct beats per minute required for proper chest compressions. However, many camp attendees still found the task difficult, such as Addison Wisdom.

"It's a lot,' said Addison. "It's more work than I thought it would be, even though it was only for a minute.

At a different station, the high schoolers learned proper intubation techniques. One of those students was Lira Whitaker, who came to the camp Wednesday from Hulbert, Oklahoma. After intubating a mannequin with her sibling Rylan, Lira explained her reason for attending.

"I want to be a neurosurgeon," said Lira. "This is a step in getting there.

Lira mentioned that she came last year as well. Rylan Whitaker said he was here "just to learn."

With Operation Orange celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, High School Outreach Coordinator Dylan Tucker reiterated their mission of serving students in rural and other underserved areas.

"They belong here," said Tucker. "They can do this and they can go back home and serve their community in any capacity they want."

Check it out

Operation Orange has upcoming summer camps in Ada, Lawton, Stillwater and Enid, Oklahoma. Learn more and register for these events at https://medicine.okstate.edu/outreach/operation-orange.html.