The summer camp giving Manitoba students a look into a health sciences career

The University of Manitoba is hosting its biomedical summer camp on its campus, exposing kids to science.

The University of Manitoba is giving young people a glimpse into what a career in health sciences would look like.

This week the university is hosting its Biomedical Youth Program Summer Camp, which gives 100 students from Grades 6 to 12 a chance to take part in hands-on learning in the fields of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing and science.

Activities include heart dissection, fingerprint analysis and DNA extraction. This year’s camp also includes sessions on traditional Indigenous medicines.

James Gilchrist, a professor in the department of oral biology, said the camp is meant to inspire kids and raise their curiosity about science.

“It’s important that kids are informed and be able to make choices about what they may do as a future career,” he said.

“We have an emphasis upon biomedical matters and health sciences careers.”

Kevin Wang, one of the students attending the camp, said the experience has made him interested in pursuing a career in the biomedical field in the future.

He said his favourite part of the camp so far has been learning about gel electrophoresis.

“It’s [basically] splitting the DNA into different parts,” he explained.

“Then we get to compare different DNA and find relationships.”

The weeklong camp is run by U of M volunteers made up of undergraduate and graduate students.

“We have this motto of youth inspiring youth,” Gilchrist said.

“So we use graduate students and undergraduate students as a model for what you could become.”

• With files from CTV’s Jamie Dowsett