Community Memorial Hospital proved fun and fascinating for seven eighth and ninth graders who participated in M.A.S.H. Camp July 21 and 22.

The Medical Academy of Science and Health camp was sponsored by the hospital with the Central New York Area Health Education Center (CNYAHEC) and Excellus BlueCross BlueShield to expose the youngsters to healthcare and the wide variety of career opportunities.

Campers sutured bananas, learned how to prepare medication bags for IVs and learned about anesthesia in the operating room. The youngsters talked with physical therapists, radiology technologists and several nurses.

Of course, a major component of the two day experience is having fun and whether it was giving a bath to a newborn (using dolls) or dressing up in caps, gloves and gowns for the OR, the campers obviously were enjoying themselves.

Stephanie Salmon, who will be a ninth grader at Hamilton Central School, was back at the camp for a second time.

“I really liked meeting different people and the hands on activities,” she said. Stephanie has an interest in pursuing a career in healthcare so the exposure to various hospital departments was especially worthwhile. Her fellow campers included Gabrielle Huff and Victoria Hutzley of Earville, Danielle Clement and David Verne Jr. of Morrisville and Sabrina Rebuck and Courtney Trueworthy of Hamilton.

“The kids were terrific. They were attentive, asked great questions and heard several times they are our future,” said Hospital Educator Diane Bialczak, who oversees the program at Community Memorial. “Bright, hard working young people have so many options we really need to show them how rewarding careers in healthcare can be.”

The Central New York Area Health Education Center is a local, non-profit health workforce development organization located in Cortland, whose mission is to promote improvements in the supply, training, development and distribution of health professionals in a 14 county area.