On a recent Friday morning, a dozen middle schoolers stepped out of a bus, walked into Memorial Regional Health and got ready for surgery. 

In pre-op, they donned hospital gowns, had their vitals taken, practiced taking each others’ vitals and watched as a nurse placed an IV in another nurse’s arm. Then the teens — all Boys and Girls Club members, slipped on shoe covers, bonnets and masks and were escorted into the operating room where they met OR nurses, a surgeon and a nurse anesthetist, practiced irrigating a mock wound, helped stitch sutures in real pig skin and watched a biomedical technician repair a piece of broken surgical equipment. Finally, when the OR’s air handlers suddenly “went down,” the kids accompanied a facilities technician to the rooftop, where he showed them how to fix a broken air handler. 

MRH Mini Med School was in session.

MRH developed the free program to introduce local youth to a wide range of careers in health care. The first “semester” included four Mini Med School mornings, each focused on a different scenario and showcasing a variety of health care roles. 

“Our aim was to show the kids that health care encompasses more than being a doctor or a nurse,” said Sheli Steele, MRH’s marketing and community relations director. “We wanted to expose them to the extensive opportunities available to all interest levels. There are many rewarding and well-paying jobs in health care, and some require no additional education after high school except on-the-job training.”

MRH teams started developing the Mini Med School curriculum in January.

“Staff were instantly excited,” Steele said. “They created the scenarios and collaborated with other departments. I was blown away by their buy-in. We met a few times a month leading up to the launch, and in the final weeks, each group did a practice run of their scenario with employees’ children to ensure it would be engaging.” 

After the program lessons had been planned, MRH offered the Boys and Girls Club of Northwest Colorado the opportunity to participate in the inaugural Mini Med School.

“We partnered with the Boys & Girls Club because we deeply value their impactful work,” Steele said. “They foster a sense of competence, influence and belonging in their members — qualities that help them thrive and become leaders. The club has a really special place in my heart, and I feel passionately about connecting with these kids.” 

In return, the Boys & Girls Club jumped at the chance. 

“It’s been such an eye-opening experience for our kids,” said Erin Steger, Boys and Girls Club unit director. “I got to attend the OR lesson myself, and it was the coolest experience I’ve ever had in my life. I watched the kids’ eyes light up and get excited about so many of the things they saw and did. MRH showed them that even if you don’t want to go to college, there are interesting and meaningful jobs available right here in Craig.” 

The Boys and Girls Club of Northwest Colorado, which is celebrating its 20^th anniversary this year, serves about 450 young people a year. On the average summer day, about 100 kids come to their Craig club to participate in positive, safe, group activities, enjoy a meal, make friends and receive supervision and mentorship from the staff. 

“The club is fun,” Executive Director Dana Duran said. “We do a lot of field trips with the kids, and we keep them busy. We want to make sure they have healthy bodies and healthy minds. MRH’s Mini Med School program is incredible because it really dives deep into all the hospital and clinic roles, including things like IT and pharmacy. I’m so thankful that MRH is providing our members with the opportunity to get hands-on health care experiences that will change their lives.” 

MRH plans to continue and expand its Mini Med School program in the months to come. “We hope to involve more students, including those who are in eighth to 10^th grade and exploring future career options,” Steele said. “We plan to collaborate with Moffat County School District leaders, too, to develop career paths for these students. We’re also exploring the possibility of developing a Community Ambassador program for adults, so they can see firsthand the excellent care provided at their community hospital.” 

Recently Steele stopped by the Boys and Girls Club to drop off Mini Med School graduation diplomas to the kids who participated. She asked them what they thought of the program. 

“I didn’t think I wanted to go into the medical field, but I decided to do Mini Med School to make sure that’s how I felt,” said 15-year-old Haley Duran. “But now I think there are some things I would like to explore, like Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy.” 

“Even though I had to miss a session because I was on vacation, I would 10 out of 10 recommend this school to everyone,” said 12-year-old Jonathan Martin. 

Even the Boys & Girls Club staff members who accompanied the kids to the lessons found them lifechanging. “I am definitely contemplating a career change,” said 26-year-old Taylor Oxenreider. “I think a career as an Occupational Therapist would be awesome. I could still teach but also have a really meaningful impact on their development through therapy. Mini Med School was a great experience.”