UAMS’ HCOP Academy Helps High School Grads Take Next Step Toward Health Careers

By Chris Carmody

The HCOP Academy, organized by UAMS Academic Pathways and Workforce Partnerships, launched last year with the goal of equipping students with the skills they’ll need to gain admission to and succeed in health professional programs.

The teens began their journey through the program with a six-week residential academy at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB). That summer session introduced them to health care disciplines such as dietetics, mental and behavioral health, occupational and physical therapy, physician assistant studies, radiography and respiratory therapy.

This year, they returned to UAPB for a four-week Bridge Academy that honed their knowledge and prepared them for the rigors of college education. The students attended seminars that focused on writing, financial literacy and college life as well as health care topics such as public health and ethics.

“We all knew in high school that we wanted to get into medical careers, but now we’ve transitioned to actually starting down that path in college,” said Maya Peoples, a Pine Bluff native who plans to study biology at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

The centerpiece of the Bridge Academy was a two-week job-shadowing partnership with Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Pine Bluff. The students spent time with health professionals in a variety of clinical and administrative roles, learning about the skills and technology that enable hospitals to provide high-quality care.

Amilah Hall, a Smackover High School graduate, is attending Henderson State University in Arkadelphia this fall, and she plans to take prerequisite courses that will help her gain admission into a nursing program. She said a highlight of the summer was her experience shadowing an infection control nurse at Jefferson Regional.

“I don’t know exactly what type of nurse I want to be, but the HCOP Academy has opened my eyes to the different types of nursing jobs that I could go into,” she said.

The students also traveled to Little Rock for a tour of the UAMS Simulation Center, where they learned about health care specialties such as anesthesia and trauma care. In one segment, they simulated a gall bladder removal and saw how health professionals navigate complications during surgery.

For some students, exposure to such a wide variety of health careers has led them to reconsider their career plans.Peoples said she was initially interested in research but decided over the past year that she would like to become a pharmacy lab technician instead.

“One of the first things we saw last summer was the employees in a pharmacy, and that really changed my point of view,” she said. “This program was a big reason why I finally made the decision that this is something I want to do.”

Hall said she hasn’t wavered in her desire to become a nurse, but she praised the program for providing her with an opportunity to explore her options and connect with peers.

“Honestly, this program has been very good to me over the last two summers,” she said. “I feel like HCOP has become a second family.”

Hall said she would recommend the academy to any student who is seriously considering a career in health care.

“We’re all going into different health professions, and you never know who you’ll work with or need help from in the future,” she said. “If you make friends and network, then it will benefit you in the long run.”

Shanea Nelson, Ph.D., executive director of UAMS Academic Pathways and Workforce Partnerships, said she’s excited to see the students’ progress as they move into the next phase of their education.

“It has been truly inspiring to witness the growth of these scholars from their initial participation in last summer’s HCOP Academy to their continued development in this year’s Bridge Academy,” she said. “We are deeply grateful to our partners at UAPB for graciously hosting our students for another impactful summer. Additionally, we extend our sincere appreciation to Jefferson Regional Medical Center for providing our students with an outstanding job-shadowing experience.

This summer, the HCOP Academy also introduced a new class of rising high school seniors with a six-week session at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia. Their activities included an up-close look inside an ambulance and a Survival Flight helicopter to learn about how emergency responders transport and provide care for patients.