100 students from 10 local high schools and the Lake County Tech Campus were welcomed to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville for a “day in the life” at Lake County’s sole Level 1 Trauma Center.
Throughout the event, students rotated through various stations to learn about a day in the life at the trauma center, officials said.
Each student team was led by a team specializing in trauma patient care, while station leaders demonstrated their roles and shared insights into their career paths in healthcare.
In the simulation lab, students participated in a realistic emergency department trauma scenario and practiced intraosseous IV insertion on a high-fidelity “manikin,” officials said.
“Trauma Day provides students with a unique, hands-on experience of what it’s like to work in healthcare,” said Sharon Esterquest, Trauma Coordinator at Advocate Condell. “It’s exciting to see their curiosity and enthusiasm grow as they experience firsthand the critical work that happens at a hospital. We hope they leave with a deeper understanding of healthcare and a newfound passion to pursue a career in this rewarding field.”
Among the attendees was Carmel Catholic High School Senior Norah Belmonte. Coming from a family of doctors, she has always aspired to work in the medical field, while her experience as an athlete sparked an interest in sports medicine.
She plans to study kinesiology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
“I appreciate how Trauma Day gives high school students like me a firsthand look at potential career paths,” Belmonte said. “With medical school being highly competitive, starting early and exploring different specialties is really valuable.”
Adlai E. Stevenson High School senior Jaden Mascarenhas said he wants to pursue a career in healthcare after helping care for his grandfather, who had advanced dementia.
“Taking care of my grandpa showed me how I could make an impact in his life, and it gave me confidence to work toward my goal of entering the medical field,” Mascarenhas said. “I hadn’t had any previous job shadow opportunities in healthcare, so attending Trauma Day allowed me to explore the diverse professions within trauma, especially emergency medicine.”
Mascarenhas looks forward to studying psychology at Loyola University Chicago and is interested in pursuing a career in psychiatry, pediatrics, or emergency medicine.
In addition to the assistance from Condell, participating teams for Trauma Day included the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists, the Emergency Department, the Emergency Medical Services – Libertyville, the Flight Team, the Intensive Care Unit, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, the Operating Room, Radiology, Simulation Lab and the Trauma Team.
The annual event traditionally features students 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.