A group of health care students went on a trip to Fairbanks for the Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) conference on Feb. 19, as well as visiting with medical professionals in Fairbanks.

Two classes taught by health careers teacher Carrie Given were granted a chance to attend the conference and were able to see different parts of the Fairbanks Medical Health Center (FMH). This helped the students by allowing them to explore the different types of jobs within the health field.

Students were from the medical terminology and anatomy and physiology classes.

On Feb. 20, a group of students experienced a simulation in the paramedic training lab with assistant professor Justin Yurong and office manager Cheri Renson. Galena students were shown a practice drill on a $100,000 dummy that was specially designed for their field of work. Medical moulage was performed on the students as a hands-on activity where they got to paint fake wounds on each other and be part of the “walking wounded.”

In the vitals and ambulance bay, students got a good look inside their vehicles and were shown all the different kinds of equipment and how it is used. Afterward, the students got to see the cancer treatment center where we got to see how cancer is treated with radiation.

The doctors there where really kind and had amazing views on how you should treat your patients as family.

You think you have hard time doing laundry at home? Well, these people have a ton of laundry weighing in at over 4,000 pounds. They have so much laundry to do, that they have machines to dry, fold and organize everything.

Afterward, the students were allowed upstairs to see a biology lab. Students donated blood and blood tests were done. Students got to see a preserved knee tendon in a box, ready and prepared for knee replacement surgery.

A big thanks to all the people involved to make this an amazing experience for our students.

Both staff writers attended the AHEC conference in Fairbanks as members of the health careers program.