SUFFOLK, Va. – Healthcare staffing shortages continue, but in Suffolk, Sentara is doing what it can to educate youth about the wide variety of careers in healthcare and perhaps, excite them to pursue that path.
By 2026, the estimated shortage of healthcare workers nationwide will total 3.2 million, according to a Sentara spokesperson.
All week, middle school students from Suffolk Public Schools are taking part in a healthcare careers camp at Sentara Obici Hospital. The annual summer program is focused, in part, on raising the interest of children from diverse backgrounds.
On Tuesday, the teens suited up and went into the operating room, testing procedures on pieces of chicken, meant to resemble a person’s body. They also got to try laparoscopy equipment, attempting to grasp and cut pieces of candy.
Karah Gibree, a registered nurse who works in the operating room, explained there are many different job options that are often forgotten.
“There are a lot of people that play a pivotal role in making sure their surgery is successful,” said Gibree. “As far as the surgical tech and the surgical assistance, 9 times out of 10, they’re not going to remember those people,” she added when talking about the types of staff patients encounter.
Sentara says the camp is arranged through Suffolk Public Schools.
