Tomorrow's Health Care Experts: Empowering Youth in Healthcare

Tomorrow's Health Care Experts is an MU Health Care initiative designed to expose youth to healthcare careers through hands-on experiences, internships, and mentorship. The initiative includes partnerships with programs such as MU SOM CALEB Science Club, City of Columbia’s CARE Program, FLOURISH Initiative, and the Columbia Public School’s C.O.T.Y. Program, engaging students from 5th grade through high school in opportunities to explore and develop careers in healthcare.

Program Overview: 

Tomorrow's Health Care Experts is an MU Health Care initiative designed to introduce youth to a wide variety of healthcare career opportunities. Through hands-on experiences, internships, and collaborations with educational and community organizations, students as young as elementary school are exposed to the healthcare field and guided along pathways to professional development. 

Key Initiatives: 

• Annual Healthcare Expo: 

  • Held annually since the Fall of 2023, this event introduces middle and high school students to healthcare careers through interactive activities and direct exposure to medical professionals. Students participate in workshops and demonstrations that showcase different healthcare roles and encourage engagement in the field. This is a collaborative initiative involving the entire MU health system. 

• CALEB (Called to Academic & Leadership Excellence and Building Character and Confidence) Science Club: 

• Through the MU School of Medicine, CALEB Science Club engages youth from 5th grade through high school, providing early exposure to the field of medicine. Students participate in programs designed to develop leadership skills, build confidence, and introduce them to careers in healthcare. 

• Columbia CARE Program: 

  • Through Columbia’s Career Awareness Related Experience (CARE) Program, youth as young as 14 years old gain summer career opportunities. MU Health Care, under the Tomorrow's Health Care Experts initiative, partners with this program to provide healthcare-related internships and training, introducing students to various professional healthcare environments. 
• FLOURISH Initiative: 

  • FLOURISH is a Boone County nonprofit organization that supports under-resourced youth through development opportunities, scholarships, and internships. MU Health Care started our partnership with FLOURISH in 2024, hosting three summer interns. These internships focus on workplace exposure and professional development, preparing students for future employment. 

• Career Opportunity Training for Youth (C.O.T.Y.) Program: 

• This new partnership with Columbia Public Schools provides high school students with internships and career training through the C.O.T.Y. Program. Students engage in meaningful healthcare-related work experiences that prepare them for future careers in the field. 

Vision for the Future: 

Tomorrow's Health Care Experts aims to continue expanding youth engagement efforts, creating pathways to healthcare careers for youth of all backgrounds. The initiative will focus on providing hands-on experiences, mentorship, and professional development opportunities for students, from elementary school through high school and beyond.  

Future plans include expanding partnerships with local schools and organizations to increase the number of students who can benefit from these programs.