CLOQUET, MN— Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College invited high school students to explore the exciting field of healthcare at Scrubs Camp earlier this month with the annual Indigenous Healthcare Career Exploration Camp. The in-person, multi-day residential camp took place June 12 – 14, 2024, and was open to Minnesota students entering grades 9 – 12. The Indigenous Healthcare Career Exploration Camp is possible because of a meaningful partnership with the Arrowhead Area Agency on Aging, Center on American Indian and Minority Health, Native American Research Center for Health, Essentia Health, Minnesota Indian Area Agency on Aging, Minnesota Chippewa Tribes, and Fond du Lac Human Services.

“The Indigenous Healthcare Career Exploration Camp is a tremendous opportunity for indigenous, rural or underserved communities to explore careers that they otherwise might not even aspire to,” shared Cassandra Nicholson, Administrative Assistant for the FDLTCC Nursing Program.

During the 3-day residential camp students learned about professions from practitioners who are not only successful in their respective fields but also may have experienced some of the same struggles campers currently face.

“Hearing from practitioners currently in the field gives students the hope and drive to continue to be successful in their studies and plan for their futures.” continued Nicholson.

Select topics for this year’s camp include Midwifery, Physician’s Assistant – Orthopedics, Aging Services, Alcohol and Drug Counseling, Emergency Medicine, Pharmacy, Equine Assisted Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Medical Research, and Nursing.

During the camp, students had the chance to visit the University of Minnesota Medical School. The programs at the Medical School were led by Dr. Sabrina Scroggins and Doug Scroggins.

“Dr. Sabrina Scroggins and I are proud to serve Minnesota communities through our involvement in Scrubs Camp. This unique program provides students, particularly those from tribal communities, the opportunity to visit the University of Minnesota Duluth Campus,” shared Doug Scroggins.

Scroggins continued, “For decades, our campus has been dedicated to supporting rural and tribal communities, a mission central to our work. Sabrina and I aim to help these remarkable students pursue their dreams in medicine and STEM, ensuring their voices are heard. Having come from underserved backgrounds ourselves, we understand the challenges these students may face. Our goal is not only to increase the representation of women and those from underserved communities in medical research but also to actively address health and research inequities. We must all support these students as they rise to become doctors, scientists, and educators, advocating for their communities. By being present in their communities, we can help achieve greater equity in healthcare and research.”

The 2025 Indigenous Healthcare Career Exploration Camp is scheduled for June 11 – 13 at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College. Applications for the 2025 camp will open in January.  Check out https://archsmn.com/learn/in-person-learning/programs/scrubs-camp/ for information on upcoming Scrubs Camps in Minnesota.  For information about the Nursing program at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, visit https://fdltcc.edu/degrees-certificates/degree-programs/nursing/.

Testimonials

I chose FDLTCC because of its size and the curriculum. When I first came here in 2019, I was just looking for what I needed to volunteer, perhaps in a crisis shelter. I met with Don Jarvinen, and the rest is history.

My favorite thing about FDLTCC is the people. I’ve met fantastic students, faculty and staff who go above and beyond what I expected.

It is awesome here at the FDLTCC Education Program because it is like a family here, if you need help or are struggling with anything, you have quite a few people who will help you out.