Jan. 10, 2024
Surrounded by GO CAPS Medicine and Health Care students, Morgan Allison was determined to get the mannequin to click.
Located within Cox North Hospital, GO CAPS students were learning how to complete the very basics of CPR as a rotation in their cardiovascular science unit. Morgan kept pushing herself, and she finally heard that click, confirming that she had pushed down on the mannequin’s sternum correctly.
“That was harder than I thought,” she said as her peers cheered her on. “But I did it.”
Dissecting and identifying a sheep’s heart, demonstrating how to take blood pressure and mastering the basics of CPR was just one afternoon in Adrienne Deckard’s GO CAPS Medicine and Health Care classroom. Part anatomy and biology class, part job shadowing experience, GO CAPS allows students to explore health careers each morning or afternoon, every day.
“Each week, students go on a job shadowing rotation at seven different medical facilities and see the medical field up close,” said Deckard. “GO CAPS provides an in-depth experience for students to learn more about the variety of careers in health sciences.”
Senior Mina Becker chose to apply for GO CAPS because she’s interested in working in the medical field – but she’s not sure in what way. GO CAPS job shadowing provides her a way to determine what she does, and does not, want to do in the future, she says.
“It’s a jump start in the medical field,” said Mina. “It’s been really fun, and I’ve had some great job shadowing experiences so far. Labor and Delivery was amazing; I saw a natural birth and a c-section, all in one day. The ER was super intense, but I really liked it.”
For students like Mina and Morgan, GO CAPS (Greater Ozarks Center for Advanced Professional Studies) is more than an acronym – it’s a way to learn what careers are out there and what credentials they need to be successful.
“GO CAPS is truly an opportunity for students to test drive their careers,” said Deckard. “This is a professional setting, where students learn the skills to become professionals themselves. They may not know where they’ll end up, but here, they’re already on their way.”
GO CAPS provides rich college and career learning experiences for juniors and seniors interested in a variety of fields. Strands include: Medicine and Health Care, Business and Entrepreneurship, IT and Software Solutions, Engineering and Manufacturing and Teacher Education. To apply for this free program, visit the GO CAPS website.
