Confluence CSI Camp gives students a hands-on start toward healthcare careers

WENATCHEE — Fourteen local high school students spent part of their summer dissecting pig hearts, practicing sutures, touring pathology laboratories and experiencing emergency medicine firsthand as Confluence Health's CSI Camp returned earlier this month with a mission that extends beyond career exploration: helping build the next generation of North Central Washington's healthcare workforce.

Held July 6-10, the five-day Confluence Student Intern (CSI) Camp introduced students to more than 20 healthcare professions through hands-on activities and behind-the-scenes experiences designed to show what working in medicine looks like beyond the roles most people already know. Students rotated through specialties ranging from respiratory therapy and laboratory medicine to rehabilitation technology, pharmacy, emergency transport and mental health services.

Healthcare providers across North Central Washington have increasingly focused on workforce development as hospitals and clinics compete to recruit and retain qualified employees. Programs like CSI Camp are designed to introduce local students to those careers early, with the hope that some will eventually return to serve the communities where they grew up.

Rather than focusing on a single career path, participants learned how physicians, nurses, laboratory scientists, therapists, pharmacists, technicians and support staff work together to care for patients.

Throughout the week, students practiced surgical suturing techniques, dissected pig hearts to better understand anatomy, explored pathology and laboratory medicine, experienced respiratory therapy equipment firsthand and toured specialized care areas throughout the hospital. More than 50 Confluence Health employees, volunteers and community partners participated by leading demonstrations, presentations and mentoring opportunities.

"Students often arrive with a general interest in healthcare, but by the end of the week they have a much broader understanding of the opportunities available to them," said Casey Vogt, student coordinator at Confluence Health. "They see the teamwork involved in caring for patients, meet professionals who are passionate about their work, and gain exposure to careers they may not have encountered before. If a student leaves camp with a new sense of possibility and curiosity about their future, that's a success."

The camp is a collaborative effort between Confluence Health, the Confluence Health Foundation and community partners, with funding support from Microsoft. Participating organizations included Life Flight Network, Ballard Ambulance, Hanger Clinic, Wenatchee Valley College, LifeCenter Northwest and Jones & Jones Funeral Home. The program is designed to help students make more informed decisions about future education while introducing them to careers that healthcare leaders hope will strengthen the region's future workforce.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media