Konza Prairie Community & Dental Health Center hosted the Medical Adventures Club Wednesday. The club was originally formed to give Junction City High School students, interested in learning more about careers in the medical field the hands-on opportunity to experience medicine up close.
Doctors Thomas Craig and Jimmy Jenkins from Geary Community Hospital and JCHS teacher Nancy Detmer accompanied the students on a tour of Konza's Grant Avenue facility followed by presentations from Taylor Pratt, DMD, Megan Seidl, DO, and Lori Walters, LPN.
As a community health center Konza not only provides medial, but dental and behavioral health services to more than 13,000 patients throughout the region.
As the world grapples with the projected shortage of more than 15 million health care workers by 2030, the same challenge hits lose to home. Geary County is currently designated by the federal government as a medical, dental and behavioral health provider shortage area-a challenge that is likely only to grow in the future. Fostering the medical career dreams of local youth is a part of meeting that challenge.
The Medical Adventures Club is sponsored by Geary Community Hospital, Junction City High School, Cloud County Community College, and the Stan and Betty Lewis Foundation.