Calling all future healthcare providers! The 4th annual UNM Health Professions Symposium is set for Saturday, April 18, giving high school and college students the opportunity to explore all things related to working in healthcare.
The Symposium is an all-day event offering 90 different workshops and information sessions on a spectrum of health professions topics. The event is designed to give undergraduate and high school students interested in health professions an opportunity to explore their passions, discover various pathways into their field choice and learn about the realities and challenges of health professions education and a career in healthcare.
A special keynote address will be given by first-term U.S. Representative Debra Haaland. The former leader of the Democratic Party of New Mexico, Haaland, a member of the Laguna Pueblo people, and Sharice Davids are the first two Native American women elected to the U.S. Congress. Haaland earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from The University of New Mexico in 1994 and her Juris Doctor in Indian law from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 2006.
"Everyone interested in working in healthcare has some question they need answered," said James McKinnell, MD, faculty advisor for the Health Professions Symposium Committee."Our goal is to bring together the resources needed, on one day, under one roof, to answer every student’s question, regardless of their field of interest or where they are on their path to their chose profession."
The Health Professions Symposium runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will feature workshops covering a range of topics from the admissions process to having families while a health professions student to some of the challenges facing healthcare providers caring for the people of New Mexico. Besides physicians, nurses and pharmacists, workshops cover many other careers in healthcare including population health, medical laboratory sciences, dental hygiene, and many more.
To see the full workshop schedule, visit Schedule of Events.
"What I love about Health Professions Symposium is that it’s not just for pre-medical students, but for anyone interested in a healthcare career," said HPS co-executive director Justin Ludwig. "It doesn’t matter where you are on your journey either. Whether you’re just starting, or you’ve decided on a field, or you’re applying to schools, this is a great opportunity to learn more and to meet others who can help."
The event is free to all attendees and presenters, and lunch is provided. Registration is required and participants can register at HPS Registration.
Attendees and presenters can park for free on event day in UNM Lots A, B, C or for an hourly rate in the Yale or Cornell structures. The Health Professions Symposium will be held entirely in the UNM Student Union Building.
