100 students from area high schools experienced a “day in the life” of trauma staff at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, which is Lake County’s only Level 1 trauma center.
Advocate Condell Medical Center hosted 100 students from 10 area high schools for its annual Trauma Day 2024 on Friday.
The students were from Carmel Catholic, Grant, Grayslake Central, Grayslake North, Libertyville, Mundelein, Stevenson, Vernon Hills and Warren Township high schools, along with four different high schools in the Lake County Tech Campus program.
Students rotated through 10 different stations hosted by various teams involved in the care of a trauma patient during the event.
Station leaders demonstrated their specific roles and offered insight into their career paths in health care.
Students also had the opportunity to see state-of-the-art equipment, including the simulation lab and operating room technology.
“Trauma Day gives students a unique, hands-on opportunity to see what it’s like to work in health care. They learn just how much teamwork and coordination goes into caring for trauma patients,” said Sharon Esterquest, Trauma Coordinator at Advocate Condell Medical Center.
“Our hope is that students walk away from this event inspired to work in health care,” Esterquest said.
Noor El-Shamaa, a senior at Warren Township High School, comes from a family of doctors and is eager to follow in his family’s footsteps as a neurologist or neurosurgeon.
“It was interesting to see the equipment in the medical transport helicopter and how the flight nurses prepare,” reflected El-Shamaa. “Trauma Day is a really cool event and I’m grateful to have this opportunity,” El-Shamaa said.
Grayslake North High School senior Mikaelea Zehrung plans to pursue a career as a pediatric nurse.
She currently attends Lake County Tech Campus during her school day where she is working toward her Medical Assistant certification.
“Trauma Day gave me the most realistic look at healthcare without actually working,” Zehrung said.
“The simulation lab was my favorite experience; I listened to the breathing of an adult mannequin and held a premature baby mannequin,” she added.
New to this year’s program is the inclusion of Advocate’s Trauma Recovery Center.
Officials say students learned about the healthcare-based violence intervention program which provides services and resources to survivors of intentional trauma with compassion, respect and care.
The services the trauma-informed team offers to survivors and their families include therapy, self-care guidance, access to advocacy groups and case management.
The Libertyville Fire Department, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Gift of Hope and a LifeNet medical helicopter also participated in the event.