After training concluded November 17 at the Mercy College Training Center in downtown Des Moines, students (16 years and older) enrolled in the Waukee Aspiring Professional Experience (APEX) “Exploration in Health Sciences and Medicine” were eligible for employment as CPR instructors while still in high school.
“Students in this demographic are around others who engage in high-risk activities, so by having peers trained in lifesaving techniques close by, will save lives. The value of attaining the CPR instructor status allows them to train others become certified later in their career. An added bonus allows these local high students to get a taste of teaching in general,” says Mercy College Emergency Medical Services Program Chair, David Filipp, BS, CCEMTP, PS.
Students in this program, hosted by Mercy College of Health Sciences, have access to unique opportunities to gain real-world experience and help shape their future interests in health science and medicine. Through this partnership, APEX students are being introduced to rich experiences of diverse roles in health science careers offered at Mercy College of Health Sciences.
So far, students have participated in Surgical Technology labs, toured the medical laboratories at Mercy Medical Center, learned the fundamental procedures for x-ray imaging and acted as patients for current Mercy Physical Therapist Assistant students during their course lab section.
Article by Jim Tagye, Marketing Coordinator, Mercy College of Health Sciences