Opening doors to careers in medicine and health for high school students

Over 400 high school students from across Sydney have had the unique opportunity to gain hands-on practical experiences and access state-of-the-art facilities through the Faculty of Medicine and Health’s High School Outreach Program, facilitated by the School of Medical Sciences.

The High School Outreach Program is a new initiative developed in collaboration with high school science teachers to complement both the HSC and International Baccalaureate curricula. 

It aims to encourage Year 9–12 students to pursue a career in the medical and health sciences – particularly those who might not have considered such a career accessible to them.

Students from Strathfield South High School, St Paul’s Grammar School in Cranebrook and Parramatta Marist High School took part in the program’s Westmead and Camperdown campus visits in July, participating in lectures and interactive workshops by leading academics and researchers. 

“It was great to see so many students get involved and engage with the program’s activities,” said program co-lead Professor Andrew Harman, a leading virology and immunology researcher.

“Many of these students had previously not considered our university as they were not aware of our growing Westmead Campus and its cutting-edge facilities.” 

Dr Elizabeth Hegedus, program co-lead and educational researcher, said: “We are excited to provide students with the opportunity to experience first-hand medicine and health-based learning in a university setting and inspire them to pursue a career in such a rewarding field.”

Stage 5 (Years 9–10) students visited the University of Sydney’s internationally recognised Westmead health research and education facilities for a day of neuroscience, medical and nursing student training activities.

Students began with a tour of Westmead Hospital, where they were exposed to the university’s innovative teaching spaces and newly launched facility within its Westmead Innovation Centre. 

They participated in neuroscience workshops, demonstrations of how medical and nursing training is now incorporating virtual reality, and an interactive lecture by Dr Damian Holsinger, a leading neuroscience researcher.

Stage 6 (Years 11–12) students experienced a ‘day in the life’ of a University of Sydney medical and health science student.

As well as touring the iconic Camperdown Campus, students attended a traditional university lecture at the Charles Perkins Centre by Dr Anneliese Ashhurst, a hands-on practical class in the Centre’s high-tech X-Lab, and activities at the Pathology Museum. 

Teachers whose students have participated in the program confirm that more of their students are now excited about the possibility of studying at the University of Sydney.

“Our students have begun to feel a connection to the University of Sydney, and the social interactions with the staff and students have planted a seed of aspiration for them to choose the University of Sydney to further their studies,” said Lisa Nguyen, Head of Science at Strathfield South High School.

Michelle Cook, Head of Science at St Paul’s Grammar School in Cranebrook, added: “It has broadened their horizons, ignited their passion for learning, and opened doors to higher education opportunities. I highly recommend this program to other schools.”

Dr Daniel Bateman, Curriculum Coordinator (Statistics and Data) at Parramatta Marist High School, agreed, saying he had been “incredibly impressed” with the program, which he says has “far exceeded my expectations”.