Pupils get insight into careers in health

Schoolchildren from across Tayside were given an insight into the range of careers available across the health services at an event held at the University of Dundee.

The event in the Dalhousie Building at the University was organised by June Osborne and Mairead Reddick, Specialist Nurses Organ Donation and aimed to raise awareness of health sector careers among school pupils who might not aspire to such careers.
More than 60 senior pupils from schools in Angus, Dundee and Perth & Kinross attended the Tayside seminar on medical careers and had the opportunity to visit sessions and hear firsthand from a range of health professionals.

During the morning they saw demonstrations and were given career advice from experts in a wide variety of areas in health. The pupils also heard about organ donation and met with a donor family and transplant recipient.

The health professions represented included Nursing and Intensive Care Medicine, Obstetrics and Midwifery, Specialist Registrar Anaesthetics and Specialist Nurse Organ Donation, Biochemistry and Pathology, Emergency Medicine and Nursing, Transplantation and Surgery and Recipient Coordination, Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy.

Specialist Nurse Organ Donation, Mairead Reddick said, “We are promoting the vast range of possible careers that exist across the health services and inviting school pupils to take time to think about them as a career choice.

“When people think of the health services they tend to think of doctors and nurses, but there are so many other options available to children who would like to work in the health sector. Even once qualified, the role of doctor, nurse or allied health professional can be so varied.

“The event aimed to inform school children who are considering their future careers by showing them that these very different ways of accessing health careers exist and that they are within their reach.”