craigdailypress.com

Craig — It's never too early to get a head start on your career.

Three Moffat County High School students will get first-hand experience in the health profession in June as part of the Colorado Rural Health Scholars Program. This summer program allows sophomores and juniors to get a glimpse of what is involved in the medical field.

The School of Medicine at University of Colorado Denver supports CoRHSP. The program focuses on providing summer health science courses for driven high school students from more rural Colorado areas.

"It's a very competitive program," co-director Laura Sturgess said. "The application process alone is very selective. It's definitely effective, though, because it helps students gain more interest and direction in what they want to do and where they want to go."

Sturgess is a first-year medical student at the University of Colorado. She graduated from Colorado State University in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science in biology.

The selection process involved two phone interviews after the applicants' initial submission of their high school transcripts and two letters of recommendation each. Alejandra Ledesma, Sam Leonard and Kirsten McAlexander, who will be seniors next year, received notification of their acceptance in late April.

"I'm very excited," Leonard said. "I'm interested in neurology and endocrinology, so I'd like to get an overview of them and get a better understanding of the medical career."

This is not the only honor Leonard has received this year, recently having won a $1,000 scholarship from Colorado School of Mines. He also is a member of the National Honor Society, plays guitar in the MCHS jazz band and qualified for the state speech tournament.

McAlexander has specific ambitions for what she wants to get out of the program.

"I'm trying to decide between going into pediatrics or lab work," she said. "I'm looking forward to volunteering at hospitals this summer."

McAlexander maintains a 4.0 grade point average and is a member of NHS, Key Club, Girl Scouts and the speech team. She also plans to obtain her Associate's Degree by the time she graduates high school.

Ledesma's extracurricular activities include holding the office of class president and working with the Boys & Girls Club of Craig and the anti-violence group PREVENT.

"I think it'll be cool to see what to expect in the medical field in college," she said.

The trio of students will work in the program June 7 to 28. The full-ride scholarship provided allows them residence in the dormitories at Denver's Regis University and pays for tuition and books for their classes and laboratories at University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.

Additional volunteer work at Denver hospitals will let them gain insight into the profession, all while being overseen by the program's supervising mentors and the college's Office of Student Affairs.

"It's a really great opportunity," Sturgess said.

Andy Bockelman can be reached at 970-875-1796.