(Photo by Maya Springhawk Robnett - KAWC)

High school students learn to sterile glove up in a new program aimed at getting kids interested in health care careers.

(Photo by Maya Springhawk Robnett - KAWC)

Thirty students were admitted this year to the Volunteer Services Healthcare Career Exploration Camp at Yuma Regional Medical Center.

The future of healthcare is the focus of a unique camp at Yuma Regional Medical Center (YRMC). The Volunteer Services Healthcare Career Exploration Camp prepares students for careers in medicine by taking them inside a working hospital.

In YRMC’s Operating Room, registered nurse Laura Moreno teaches students how to sterile scrub, gown and glove up.

“This is hard!” exclaim the students, who are racing around, "prepping" for surgery.

“Your lady’s having a baby by herself! Come on! She’s delivering alone! She needs you!” Moreno teases them as they struggled with the gowns and gloves.

RELATED: UA Pharmacy Camp Introduces Arizona Kids To Health Careers

Select students from Yuma County high schools as well as colleges and universities across the state take part in this annual program. Students participate in mock procedures and hear about pathways to medical careers.

Really, the goal is to kind of grow our own — to look at so many of our student volunteers really interested in health careers but not really knowing the path," said Elizabeth Hammonds, a volunteer services officer at YRMC.

The students wrote 300-word essays on kindness and volunteerism to get into the program. Adeline Dunn, 16, of Gila Ridge High School said that drew her to the medical field.

“You don’t know what a smile can do for someone, especially here. They’re going through so much stuff that you have no idea about,” she said.

YRMC’s volunteer camp is meant to give students the tools and knowledge they need to pursue a medical career. This year’s 30 students will leave the camp certified in CPR and able to take vital signs.