There is going to be a gym full of career education at Collingwood Collegiate Institute today for students interested in health care.
The second annual health fair is taking place, will feature more exhibitors than the first year.
Rhonda Coleman is a nurse educator at Collingwood’s hospital, and she says students from CCI, Jean Vanier, Pretty River Academy, SCI, Bear Creek have been invited, along with some students being bused in from Barrie and Orillia.
There will be close to 700 students taking in the various exhibits at the career fair.
Coleman says most people think about nurses and doctors as the only jobs in the health care field, but she says there is much more — including Physiotherapy Specialists, Respiratory Technicians, Chiropractors, Midwives, and many others.
Coleman says nurses are being trained differently than they used to be.
As of 2005 a degree is required to become a registered nurse, which means 4 years of schooling at the university level.
She says there are also modified programs through colleges.
Through those programs, you spend 2 years in college, and then 2 more years in university.
Coleman says there is another option as well — students can become a Registered Practical Nurse, which is a 2 year college program instead.
She says there is a bit of a difference between a registered nurse, and a registered practical nurse.
A registered nurse has more schooling, and therefore is responsible for more acute and complex issues and patients, while an RPN’s focus is on the care of more stable and predictable patients.
She says there are some courses you have to take in high school to get into the health field though, and suggests students focus on sciences and math starting in Grade 10.
Those are both requirements to get into post-secondary programs.
And Coleman says in our region now there is a program called specialist high school major, which helps students get started on their career path in high school.
She says there are different specialties for different schools, such as a health career path at CCI.
She says when they graduate, that major status will be on their diploma.