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Iowa students visit Truman Medical Center to learn about health care careers

Posted at 4:56 PM, Apr 06, 2018
and last updated 2018-04-06 17:56:40-04

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Marshalltown, Iowa, high school students made a trip to Truman Medical Center to get an in-depth look at the medical field.

 “It's really important to see those hands-on experience and talk one on one with all those important people to get you thinking about your future,” Marshalltown student Lisabeth Cervantes Reynosa said.

“It's nice to be put in that view of what they do and be able to do it for yourself, to know what they get to do,” classmate Daisy Klaas said.

The students are a part of their school’s Health Career Club, where they visit different hospitals and services.

“Students have the opportunity to learn from professionals who are passionate about what they do,” Marshalltown Administrator Daniel Terrones said. “I think that's the greatest takeaway for opportunities like this.”

According to the American Nurses Association, the U.S. will need to bring in more than a million new registered nurses in the next four years to meet the country’s health care needs.

“There's a critical shortage of health care workers,” Truman Education Services Manager Jane Bardwell said. “It’s almost every occupation — whether in the lab, whether it's nurses, whether it's family physicians. So, what we want to try and do is get folks and kids interested early on and introduce them.”

While the students explored the medical field for a short time on Friday, health care professionals are hoping this short-term visit, creates a long-term interest.