Memorial summer program again invites teens to explore medical careers

Elizabeth Kuntz, registered nurse in Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Department. Kuntz says participating in the hospital’s Mini-Medical University for Teens when she was 16 helped prepare her well for a job she loves.

When Elizabeth Kuntz attended Saint Joseph High School in South Bend, she was always excited for Thursday afternoons.

That’s when she volunteered in the Emergency Department at Memorial Hospital, where her duties included putting charts together, cleaning rooms, answering call lights, and much more.

Kuntz ultimately would volunteer there for seven years, through college at Indiana University South Bend, and she now works as a registered nurse in the department.

When she was younger than 18, she was only allowed to volunteer in the hospital because she had completed Memorial’s “Mini-Medical University for Teens,” a week-long summer program that exposes teens to potential medical careers.

“MMU helped me to be where I am today,” said Kuntz. “I love my job and the challenges that come with it. Being able to care for many different patient populations from infants to the elderly allows me to continue to learn and use a variety of my skills as a nurse.”

Kuntz said she was excited to see that after suspending it the past two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Memorial is resuming the program this summer.

2019 Mini-Medical University for Teens student Areana Rock, left, listens to the pulse of student Onur Topur, as Memorial Hospital nurse educator Mollie Rudecki takes his blood pressure.

Sometimes teachers or guidance counselors recommend MMU to students, who must be rising juniors or seniors, because they’ve shown some aptitude for chemistry, biology or anatomy classes, said Kara Strang, Memorial’s volunteer and guest services director. Other teens are drawn to the experience because they think they might be interested in following in the footsteps of a loved one who works in the medical field. Still others are motivated because they or a family member has a medical condition, and they simply want to know more about it.

Over the course of the week, hospital associates, from doctors and nurses to radiology technicians and physical therapists, give presentations to the students. For instance, they learn about how physicians specialize in areas of medicine, and what it takes to become a specialist.

“A doctor will come in and tell them, here’s where I went to school, this is what my undergrad was, I got my graduate degree, then I went to residency,” Strang said. “If you want to be an orthopedic surgeon, this is how long you will have to be in school. It gives them kind of an idea of what to expect for the future.”

There is a community service project completed during the week to lend a helping hand to others.

“It’s teaching the students that it’s good to give back time or be involved in clubs during their academic process, in order to help others who are in need,” Strang said. “That’s always a great experience and a great opportunity. They love that.”

The MMU program costs $400. Because it takes place in a hospital, participants must show proof of a range of vaccinations.

There are typically three one-week programs, each consisting of about a dozen teens, and spots are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. The sessions will be June 6-10, June 20-24 and July 11-15. Students who apply must provide two letters of recommendation, often from teachers, principals, doctors or dentists, Strang said.

Kuntz said volunteering at Memorial helped her to remain motivated in school and was the best thing she ever did for herself when she was in high school.

“Nursing school is challenging, and to be honest, some days it was so hard that I wondered why,” Kuntz said. “Why was I becoming a nurse? Was this worth it? The answer to all those questions was present to me each week I was in the ER. I wanted to be a nurse and I would get there.”